Will WolfSon
by I.F.T.S
Summary: AU-ish. What began as the simple job of chasing off a lone wolf turns into the recovery of a child no one knew was missing. Put in the ward with the other orphans, Will never really adjusted to his human life after leaving his wolf one behind. So it comes as quite the surprise when the mysterious Ranger of Redmont Fief, Halt, wants him as an apprentice...What could go wrong?
1. Prologue (pt 1)

**Hello! Good to see everybody!**

**As I say in my profile-paragraph-thing; I read anything I can get my hands on. WELL, I've finished Ranger's Apprentice a couple of weeks ago, and...I just had to write this. It's and au; and I kinda like it...tell me what you think! BTW, this only a PART of the prologue, the second half I'm still working on.**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Ranger's Apprentice. I only own this story plot.**

Lady Sandra leads her group up the hill; she herself holding the picnic basket while Alyss Mainwaring, walking directly behind her, had volunteered to carry the blanket for all them to sit on like the good little helper she was. She constantly chats with Jenny Dalby; bless that child's cooking. Only seven years old and she already knew the basics of how to cook a killer chicken. Behind the two girls, George Carter points out all the different types of plants he'd memorized from his book to Horace Altman; who looks like he wants to make a wooden sword out of the ash tree and whack George over the head with it. Lady Sandra can't blame him, but would warn him not to do it ever again.

Arriving at the top of a hill overlooking the nearby forest, she sets the basket down, and turns to face the orphans.

"All right, you all know the rules: Stay within my sight and _do not_ go into the forest!"

All of the children, save Alyss, run off instantly. Though she stayed initially, Lady Sandra knows she'd rather play with the others.

"Alyss, you don't have to help set up the blanket," she says, helping the tall girl unfold the quilt.

"I know. It's just you're doing this for us, so it's the least that I can do for you," the child replies before turning and dashing gracefully away to join her ward mates. Watching all the seven years play, Lady Sandra believes that if she didn't know all the children were parent-less, and she met one in the street; she'd think he or she was the happiest child alive.

Sighing, she turns back to her task of setting up the outdoor lunch. Making sure to keep the sweets hidden, she places the biscuits in the center of their make-shift eating area, along with the jam. She'd just set out the ham and chicken when a piercing howl cuts through the air. Worried about the children, she whirls around only to find all of them perfectly fine. Apparently the sound came from the forest.

Another howl rips the air to shreds, and the children, curious beings they are, are drawn to where the sound emits from the forest edge.

"Children!" Lady Sandra calls at the same time Alyss shouts, "Lady Sandra, come quickly! There's a wolf caught in the thorn-thicket!"

"What?!" the older woman shrieks, stumbling down the hill to see if what Alyss says is true.

And indeed she is. A large, black wolf with piercing brown eyes filled with hatred can be seen from between the sharp branches of the undergrowth. Snarling furiously, it once again tries to free itself from the prison it had gotten itself into.

Grabbing Horace's arm (he had started to approach the beast), Lady Sandra jumps back.

"Do you think this is the animal that's been stealing the chickens from the village?" Alyss asks suddenly.

"Probably not," George replies. "Wolves travel in packs, so they need more food. Only seven chickens have disappeared in the past few days; not enough to feed more than one or two wolves a day."

"Could be a loner," Jenny inputs her two cents.

George nods. "_Or_ it's a female that's away from her pack to keep her pups safe from being taken by _another_ female wolf that lost hers."

"Whatever reason it's here for, Ara- Baron Arald should be notified," Lady Sandra corrects herself before she talks about her husband without his title. "Alyss, please go get him, and tell him he may need the Ranger. Where there's one, there's more with wolves."

Alyss nods before sprinting back up the hill. Slowing once she reaches the top to conserve her energy, she jogs into the village. Weaving around the legs of the peasants, she uses the less-crowded side alleys to get to the castle gate. The knights standing guard only give her a glance before moving on, allowing her to pass through without having to pause to explain herself.

Having lived in the castle almost all of her life, Alyss doesn't waste time being lost and heads straight for the Baron's tower. This time, one of the guards _does_ stop her.

"My name is Alyss Mainwaring, and I have a message for the Baron from his wife, Lady Sandra. She can not come herself so she sent me," she explains quickly but formally.

"What for? Did she break a nail?" the guard sneers, impatient to get this little girl out if his way.

"No, but more than a nail will be broken if I don't get her message to the Baron immediately!" Alyss insists. Looking at her earnest face, the guard figures it'll be easier to let her through than manually stop her from entering.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she hops up the stairs two at a time. Bursting into the antechamber, she repeats her explanation to the secretary, minus the last bit.

A little apprehensively, the secretary lets her in.

"Good evening, Sir Baron, but I have an urgent message from your wife," Alyss says, curtseying to the man behind the large desk. "A wolf is tangled in a thorn-thicket, and she thought you should take a look. She also wants you to bring Ranger Halt, because she rightfully believes the rest of the wolf's pack is nearby."

"A wolf, huh?" a gruff voice says from behind. Alyss whips around to spy a shadowy figure by the door. As it steps forward, she instantly recognizes a Ranger's standard camouflage cloak.

"Ranger Halt!" she exclaims, curtseying to him as well. "I did not see you there! My apologies!"

Halt waves away the formality. "What does this wolf look like?"

"It was black, with brown eyes. I do not know the height, but by judging the distance from they eyes to the ground, I would guess very large."

The Ranger nods. "If your recount is accurate; then I've seen this wolf before; wandering around the outskirts of the village," he says this more to the Baron than Alyss. The Baron nods, standing.

"Then let's take a look-see, shall we?" he asks, motioning for Alyss to lead the way.

"Its right over that hill," Alyss points ahead. Halt nods, urging his horse, which he calls Abelard, into a trot; and the Baron does the same with his battle horse. Alyss shares Abelard with Halt, seeing as the battle horse is far too tall for Alyss to mount. Halt had suggested using the horses so they, for one, are at least equal in speed with the wolf. At least, Abelard will be. The second reason being that it is faster riding them out to the forest than walking all the way back.

Easily dismounting from the stout shaggy horse, Alyss walks calmly over to her friends; who stand grouped together staring at the green-gray cloaked figure she had ridden with.

"All right, Sandra, where's this wolf?" Arald asks his wife unnecessarily, as the wolf, seeing the arrival of more humans and some tasty looking horses; howls in frustration.

Halt strides forward, stooping down to eye level with the wolf. Glancing at Arald, he nods.

"This is she," he says simply, standing.

"_She_?" George pips up, forgetting who he's speaking to. "How can you tell?"

Halt's dark eyes slid over to the thin boy that had spoken. "I've seen this wolf before."

"You've seen it before, and didn't kill it?" George presses.

Halt raises an eyebrow. The boy has a lot of questions. "Well, aren't _you_ inquisitive?" he asks quietly, slightly enjoying the way the child seems to shrink in on himself. "I haven't killed her yet because she may have pups. Killing her would in turn kill them," he explains slowly.

"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" the Baron asks, scratching his head.

Halt turns to frown at his friend. _Not the Baron too!_

"Annoying as the wolves may be; they keep other predator, _worse_ predators, away from the village. Besides, they usually don't come near people; they're naturally afraid of us," Halt muses on his last comment, absent-mindedly stroking his beard. "But this one is extremely daring. I think she may be an exile, and judging by the way she refuses to move on, has a pup or pups too young to travel."

"What should we do?" Alyss asks, glancing worriedly at the wolf, who had returned to thrashing around again.

Halt sighs. He _really_ hated questions. "I'm going to release her from the thicket after all of you are at a safe distance; then follow her to her den. I'll decide from there what course of action to take, depending on how good or bad of her offspring is."

"Won't she just attack you once she's free?" This time, the bigger boy asked a damned question.

Resisting the urge to glare at the kids, he replies, "She's been stuck her for-what, twenty minutes? - and that's a long time to be away from her children. She'll be more worried about them than me."

The Baron shrugs. "You know best, Halt."

"Yes, yes I do," Halt mutters, only loud enough for the wolf to hear. Unsheathing his saxe knife, he motions for Arald to get everybody out of the way; in the unlikely event his reasoning turns out to be wrong.

Settling his nerves, he takes a couple of deep breaths; relaxing his body. He envisions exactly what he plans to do; down to the last second.

"All clear?" he calls calmly to the Baron.

"Clear!" Arald calls back. Loosening his sword in his scabbard, he prepares himself in case the wolf does lunge at his friend.

Another deep breath and Halt flies into action. Literally.

Jumping over the undergrowth, he hacks away with his heavy knife in mid-air. Landing on the other side, he cuts away at the backside of the wolf's imprisonment. Unsure of what the human's intentions are, the wolf flails wildly, trying to harm him with sharp claws and snapping teeth.

When the back area is too thin for comfort, he leaps over the coppice again, but this time at an angle. Landing on the right side, he repeats what he did seconds before; then again on the left.

Eventually, the wolf starts to make headway against the branches, and Halt whistles for Abelard. Backpedaling, he swings into the saddle and turns around quickly to see the wolf's tail disappearing into the depths of the forest.

"Go!" he half-shouts, and his horse lurches forward, easily following the fleeing wild dog. Distantly, he hears the battle horse whinny as it's also urged into action.

Staying about one hundred feet behind the beast, Halt keeps his eyes peeled for other wolves that could've possibly been attracted by the female's howls.

Confident back in home territory, the wolf zigzags around trees, making sharp turns and sudden changes in directions.

Apparently it has never seen the abilities of a Ranger horse.

But, Halt knows that the female will do anything to keep her pups hidden, so he urges Abelard to seem as if he's loosing ground. His ears flick in annoyance, as if saying _I don't want that mutt thinking she can outrun me!_ But he complies nonetheless. The wolf soon disappears from view.

Dismounting, Halt scans the ground to imprint the wolf's tracks to his memory. Giving Abelard the hand gesture that means 'follow', he makes his way forward. The path stays erratic for a couple hundred feet, but then straightens out as she realizes that her pursuers have 'given up'.

Ten minuets later, Halt and Abelard stand downwind of a black hole that leads into a small rock pile. Dropping the reins to signal Abelard to stay, Halt creeps forward, silently, like he should. Climbing on the rocks that make up the cave ceiling, he inches forward, brushing loose stones out of his way as he goes. He reaches the edge, and taking a deep breath, slowly lowers his head to peer inside.

And gasps.

He was wrong.

There is no pup.

There is a _human child_.

**Eh? Eh? Love it? Hate it? Want to shake me for stopping it there? Let me know by REVIEWING!**


	2. Prologue (pt 2)

**Hey, uploaded as fast as I could so AreiaCananaid won't strangle me (don't worry, I don't blame you XD). Hope you like the second part of the Prologue (did I mention this is all only the prologue?)! And as for flaminglake's comment; I'm gratefull for the compliment; and I'm sorry, I can't really write in past tense. I'll try to include a coulple of flahsbacks for you in the future. Thanx also to paisley15 and everyone mentioned above for reviewing the first chap/prologue!**

A living, breathing, _sleeping_ human child. In a _wolf's _den.

Halt stares, unable to drag his gaze away. The child is at the least seven years; with dark curly brown that's surprisingly clean. His bare body, on the other hand, is so caked with dirt that it's impossible to guess skin color. Araluen is the obvious nationality.

The female wolf sniffs at the boy's head, nudging him gently. He opens his eyes blearily, gazing up at the beast with weary brown eyes. Yawning, he stretches from his rolled-up position the way a dog does after sleeping by a fire. Shaking thoroughly, he stares expectantly at her.

Suddenly, his nose twitches, and he locks gazes with Halt. Baring his teeth, he snarls surprisingly deep and full. The Ranger, startled by the boy's actions, quickly pulls away from the entrance, scrambling down the rocks and darting behind a tree.

Peeking around the trunk, he watches as the wolf stalks out, followed closely by the human. He doesn't exactly crawl; but rather uses his fingertips and the balls of his feet in replacement of his knees and hands. She scents the air, and Halt thanks his lucky stars that he's down wind. After a moment, she turns, seemingly annoyed and snaps at the boy. He snaps right back, growling slightly. She snorts, using her head to push him back into the safety of the cave. His growl turns into a whine, and he tries to scamper around the wolf's legs. Heaving a sigh, she lets him, and he yips in victory.

Moving away from the den, he leads the way into the forest, his wolf following close behind. After a moment, Halt makes his way over to Abelard, and is momentarily surprised to see the Baron and his gigantic battle horse.

"Did I just see what I think I saw?" he asks, face pale.

Halt nods. "She does have someone too small to travel, just not the same species."

"Whose child could that be, anyway? There haven't been any reported missing children lately; at lease, not that I know of."

The Ranger shakes his head. "It's not a recent disappearance. Did you hear the way he...growled? He's been with that wolf for quite a while."

Arald blanches. "And we never noticed?! How the hell's that possible?"

Halt looks down at the ground. "If the child was ruled dead, there'd be no reason to look for it."

Arald leans closer to his friend. "You know who that is, don't you?"

After a moment, Halt nods.

"Well?" the Baron pushes; his horse prancing, sensing its master's impatience.

Halt swallows visibly. "I believe the boy is…Daniel's son."

"Daniel's?" the Baron seems confused. "But he died in the Morgarath war, and his wife's cottage was raided nearly six years ago! They even found her body!"

"But they never found the boy's." Halt finally looks his friend in the face, and Arald sees a quiet fury. "Everyone assumed he'd been turned to ashes in the fire, but I always suspected…" he trails off, shaking his head. "It always bothered me; the fact that he was never found, dead or alive. And he was too young to be taken and sold as a slave."

"How old was he then? A year?"

"Eighteen months," Halt corrects automatically. "And the boy I saw couldn't be less than seven. The time line works."

"Maybe, but why'd a wolf take him in?"

Halt shrugs. "Lots of reasons. She could have lost her own litter and the maternal instincts to take care of something had her taking care of Will."

"Was that his name? Will?"

Halt returns to staring at his boots. "Yes."

The Baron sighs, scratching his head. "So, how do we get him back?"

Halt strokes his beard. "I'll watch the pair for a while; get a feel of their schedule and to make sure she doesn't move him. Then, when the time is right, I'll nab the boy. But he won't go easy. Being with the wolf for six years; he's going to have built a bond with her," Halt warns.

Arald waves it away. "Yes, yes, that's to be expected."

"She may even come after him. She'll be a mother separated from her pup; species difference be damned. She'll even risk her own life to get to him, which means she might enter the village. Are you prepared to face that?" Halt continues grimly. Arald stares down at his smaller friend and advisor. A smile cracks his face.

"Only if you are. Daniel may have only been a sergeant, but he was a brave solider. Such a shame to lose him to Morgarath's war."

Halt nods with a smile of his own. "Indeed it was." Hopping onto Abelard, he guides his horse to where he saw Will lead the wolf into the forest. Keeping his eyes glued to the ground, he only hears that Arald is following him.

_Probably can't find his way out,_ Halt chuckles quietly to himself.

Minuets later, Halt feels his horse rumble beneath him, telling him that danger is near. Tugging on the reins, he holds up his hand to signal for the Baron to do the same. Dismounting, Halt creeps forward, using another hand signal to tell Abelard to stay. Only a few meters away does the forest thin out into a small meadow; Will and his guardian in it. The female sits in nearly the exact center of the clearing, with the child running around, occasionally darting in to try to entice her to play. She ignores him, instead focusing all her attention on her senses. Ears flicking back and forth, nose constantly quivering, Halt knows he won't escape notice for long.

Growing bored with his unsuccessful taunting, Will darts away, sniffing at the forest edge furthest away from Halt and the wolf. He freezes suddenly, cocking his head so that his shoulder length hair falls away from his ear. His eyes widen in fear, and he yelps, backpedaling quickly. But not quickly enough.

A large brown bear charges into the meadow, aiming for Will. He shrieks in fear, streaking away. The wolf howls, rising to his defense. The bear; enraged that not only has a human trespassed in his territory, but a wolf too, roars a challenge. Allowing his original prey to escape up a tree; it alters its path to intercept the wolf's. Springing into the air, the canine aims for the fastest kill; the jugular. But the bear expects this, batting her out of the air like an annoying fly. She lands with a thump, but jumps to her feet after only a moment's pause.

Halt, trying to be as quiet as possible, moves as fast as he can to the base of the tree he had seen Will scale. An arrow already notched in his massive longbow, he stands a few feet away from the broad oak, ready to protect the child should the wolf fail.

Going on the defense this time, the wolf waits for the bear to make the next move. The bear lunges to the left, paw swinging wide for the maximum power behind an overhand cut. Darting under to get to the unprotected left flank, the wolf gets in a quick bite, and even Halt hears a couple of bones snap.

Screeching in agony, the bear claws reflexively with its right paw. The wolf, caught between the two massive limbs, tries to evade them but doesn't quite make it. The bear drags its right claws down her sides, shredding her pelt.

Now the wolf's voice joins the bear's in the universal song of pain. The bear stumbles away, but the wolf collapses on the spot. Will, howling from somewhere up in the boughs of the tree, leaps forward, landing heavily on his feet and racing to his protector's side. He tries to drag her away, but the bear notices and charges forward again.

Screaming in defiance, Will races forward to take his comrade's place. Being smaller and thus more agile than his larger friend, Will manages to get underneath the bear and rake his nails down its middle. The bear stumbles and falls, with non-too little help from Halt's black shafted arrow to the cranium.

Wriggling out from underneath the dead weight, Will returns to the dying wolf's side. Nudging her side gently, he whimpers, trying to rouse her. Halt slowly approaches, but Will obviously doesn't care, too focused on his partner. The Baron also enters the field, aiming to walk beside Halt.

The Ranger stops five feet from what will soon be a death bed. Arald stands a little more so away, wary of the wild child. Will's whines rise an octave, and he returns to the dragging. Halt sighs, and wrapping an arm around the boy's middle, picks him up.

The whine turns into a screech, and Will claws at his imprisonment. Halt winces; the boy's nails are sharper than he thought. One of his flailing feet hits Halt in the gut, and his arm loosens enough for Will to slip out.

Trying to bury himself in the wolf's chest, he curls as close as he can to her.

"That's not going to work," Arald says unnecessarily from behind.

"I can see that," Halt wheezes. That kid had a powerful kick. "You got a better idea?"

The Baron pauses. "Wait for the wolf to die? He can smell death, right?"

Halt thinks that over. "Maybe. But then he might just run off."

The wolf gurgles suddenly, and Will's head pops up. He resumes his whining, sniffing her muzzle. She forces her brown eye to meet his, and an invisible message passes between the two. Will starts to yelp something, but she cuts him off with a wet-sounding growl. Her eyes close for most likely the last time, and Will half howls half cries, sticking his nose in what's left of her pelt. With a shuddering breath, he backs away from her side, eyes devoid of all emotion.

Halt approaches carefully, but Will doesn't take his eyes of the dead wolf. Carefully scooping him up, Halt waits for Will to fight his embrace; but still the boy remains impassive.

"Let's get him to the ward," Halt whispers, unwilling to break whatever trance Will's in just yet. Striding back to where the horses were left, Halt carefully mounts, still cradling the boy in his arms.

Trusting that Abelard knows the way home, Halt studies the boy up close. He'll definitely be getting a bath; seeing as some of the wolf's blood got into this hair. Speaking of which, will also be cut. Along with those hell-as-sharp nails.

Arriving at the ward just before six, Arald leaves to take care of all the business he'd pushed off by accompanying Halt to the woods. Halt sighs, wishing he'd stay to at least answer all the questions his wife would have. Not to mention all the other children.

Halt shudders at the thought.

Slipping out of the saddle, he grudgingly knocks on the solid maple door. The blonde child that had fetched him in the first place answers, and it takes a minute for Halt to remember her name.

"Good evening Alyss, where is Lady Sandra?" he asks, fully expecting the tall girl to grill him on why he's walking in the ward with a dirty, naked boy.

"I believe she's with the third years; I'll gladly go find her for you," Alyss replies, surprising the Ranger.

"Please do," he replies, stepping in and gratefully taking the seat she gestured to. Will wasn't exactly heavy, but he wasn't light as air and Halt's muscles made sure to tell him that.

Glancing down at the boy, he was slightly surprised to find him still wide awake. Wide awake, but still unresponsive to all his surroundings.

Lady Sandra finally returns, and she shrieks on the top of her lungs when she sees the boy.

"Oh the Gods above, what on earth happened to this boy?!" she pulls him from Halt's care. "He's filthier than you!"

Halt grunts, and Alyss isn't completely successful in hiding her burst of laughter.

"The only thing you need to know is his name's Will and he's an orphan. I'm sure you're husband can fill you in on the rest," Halt snaps, stalking back to the door and wrenching it open. He pauses, and adds, "Be careful of his nails; they're sharper than they look." And he slams the door behind him.

Lady Sandra stares at the shaking door frame for a moment before turning to Alyss. "Would you be a dear and start a bath? Oh; and please find me a pair of scissors; there's no way this boy's staying here with hair _this_ long."

**Sooo, how you like? STILL want to stangle me? Let me know the same as last time, a.k.a REVIEW!**


	3. The Choosing Day

**Hey everybody! This chapter is ****_really_**** long; almost 4,000 words! That's nearly the entire prologue put into one chapter!**

**But anyway, some people have told me to continue with Will as a small child; but this chapter, as you can tell by the name, is when he's 15 and the choosing day comes up. If you'd like me to write about him dealing with the human world, vote via review, and if many of you like that I will make a new story dedicated to just that (because I ****_do_**** have ideas, I just didn't want to bore any of you).**

**Many of you also asked if I will have Will train as a Ranger (****_Hint:...who am I kidding, read the chapter!)._**** Sorry it's taken so long, but here she is! Hope you like it! And thanx to everyone who reviewed! All the encouragement I hold dear to my heart!**

The sun appears on the horizon, painting the sky with deep reds and bright oranges. Will is awake instantly, his internal biological clock never failing to wake him as soon as the sun's first rays hit the earth. No matter how late he goes to sleep, he always rises with the sun. Just like his mother taught him to.

Uncoiling from his rolled-up position, he stretches to get the blood flowing to his limbs before throwing the blanket off. Padding (there's no other way to describe the way he walks with the balls of his feet hitting the ground first) to the dresser, he pulls on the drawer, picking clothes randomly from within. Slipping them on, he forgoes shoes and leaves the boy's dorm with bare feet. Lady Sandra will scold him later, but today he just doesn't care. Because today is That Day.

Stalking past the girl's rooms, he opens the door a crack and scents the air. Nobody directly outside, at least not at this moment. Slinking outside, he gently shuts the door behind him. Rich brown eyes flickering everywhere; he trots to the gate; he slips past the exhausted guards, and trades the confining castle walls for the open feel of the village.

Where as the castle still lies in slumber, the village-people are just as early risers as Will. At least, a handful are. Using the back alleys Alyss has shown him on numerous occasions, he avoids them all and finally reaches his ultimate destination: the forest.

Breathing in the telling smells, he listens to a morning dove's call. _Sometimes even prey can provide valuable information._ One of his mother's many lessons. The bird seems to be singing about a missing cub, and Will takes note of the warning. Angry bears should not be messed with. Especially in the fall.

Instinct telling him to hurry, Will sprints to his favorite treasure: a beehive. The workers still sleepy from the night and condensation slowing them down, stealing the delicious honey is almost easier than getting out of the castle. Almost.

Cautiously reaching a hand in, he snaps off a small piece of honeycomb. Backing away, he brings the treat to his lips; smacking them in appreciation. Licking his fingers on the jog home, he renters the ward the same way he got out. Slipping quietly back into bed, he waits for Lady Sandra to wake everyone else up; with no one the wiser…

"Everybody up! You've all got a big decision today, so up, Up, UP!" The Baron's wife hollers, stomping through the fifteen years' hall and banging on the doors. Will wrenches his door open before the ward guardian can pound on it. Lady Sandra pauses a moment, taking in his slightly rumpled clothes and dirty feet.

She narrows her eyes and lowers her voice when she asks, "You went to the woods again, didn't you?"

Will blinks lazily, letting his body language answer for his mouth.

Sighing, she counts quietly to ten. "What have I told you about going into the forest?" she says sharply, snaring his arm and dragging him through the ward.

"To not to," Will murmurs, half expecting her not to hear him.

"Then why don't you listen to me?"

Will shrugs as she leads him out of the ward and to the Baron's tower. "The forest is more my home than here."

Lady Sandra doesn't reply, but Will can smell her displeasure. She brushes off the secretary, barging in on her husband.

"Where's the Ranger? I have a few questions I must ask him."

A shadow detaches from the far wall. "Ask away," Halt replies.

She pulls Will in front of her. "Did you see him leave this morning?"

Halt stares intently at the boy. "No," he says after a pause.

"Aren't you all-seeing? What about your 'Ranger powers'? How is it that a fifteen year old boy can sneak by you but not a band of robbers?"

Halt sighs. "An orphan sneaking out of the castle for a morning jog is _not_ something that was included in my job description; besides, how do you even know he _went_ outside the castle?"

"His feet!" Sandra exclaims, pointing at the offending anatomy.

"So they're dirty. He could've gotten that from the walk here."

"But he does this _every _morning!" the woman wails.

Halt perks up at this. "_Every _morning?"

"Yes! Every single day I wake the rest of them up only to find him already dirty from a jaunt through the forest! I asked the guards if they might've been letting him through, but they said that they've never seen the boy leaving! One of these days he's going to get himself killed by a bear or a wolf or something."

Will's lip twitches at the mention of _wolf; _and the movement isn't lost on Halt.

"You think you can take on a wolf boy?"

Will looks the older man in the eye. "I wouldn't have to," he replies levelly, letting a bit of the rough accent he retained from his wild-life creep into his voice.

Halt cocks an eyebrow. "What about a bear?"

Will looks away, and the Ranger huffs quietly. "Didn't think so," he mutters, stepping back into the shadows.

"If that's all, darling…" Arald asks, clearly dismissing her.

"But what am I supposed to do?" she stutters, gaze flickering between where the Ranger was to where her husband is.

The Baron shrugs. "He's going to be either an apprentice or going to the farms; I don't think he'll have much time for runs through the forest."  
Lady Sandra frowns, but leaves nonetheless. As soon as the large doors close, she spins Will so that he faces her.

"Please Will," she pleads, holding his face so he can't look away. "You may not like it here, but some people would be very upset if you left or were hurt. So please, stop going into the forest without at least telling me where you're going."

Will sighs. "I'm sorry Lady Sandra, I never meant for you to worry."

"I know," she smiles. "Just from now on, tell me when you're leaving." She leans forward to kiss his head. She heads back towards the ward to cook the other children breakfast, Will following obediently.

* * *

Halt stands by the window, watching the Baron's wife walk away with the boy shadowing her. He senses Arald standing behind him, but doesn't turn away from the view.

"He hasn't changed much, has he?" he asks aloud, not really looking for an answer but knowing his friend's going to give him one anyway.

"Nope," Arald says right on cue. "Still has that funny walk, and from what I can tell his senses are still just as sharp as a boar hound's. Speaking of which, I saw him growling at one the other day. You really think he understands all that yapping and howling?"

"He obviously gets it better than we do."

The Baron wants to inquire more but knows Halt will only answer fully when it suits him. "So you really wanna take that kid on?"

Halt arches an eyebrow. "Weren't you listening earlier? He gets past the guards _every morning_. He's had no formal training, if you discount living as a wolf, and he _still_ sneaks past _trained soldiers_ every day. Of course I want him; with guidance, he can become a great Ranger."

Arald shrugs, returning back to his desk. "Then he's yours; you certainly know more about that topic than I do."

"I'm sure I know more about _every_ topic compared to you," Halt mutters. "More correctly, compared to _everyone._"

* * *

All the ward children jump five feet in the air when Martin slams the doors open.

"All right kiddies! The Baron doesn't have much time, so hurry on up; tallest to shortest!" he shouts, snapping his stubby fingers to emphasize his meaning. Alyss leads the way, looking deceptively calm. Horace follows, for once appearing humbled; and George's mouth is clamped shut. Jenny glances once behind her at Will, who looks bored, before focusing her attention on Master Chubb.

Baron Arald stands, smiling brightly at the children. "Please, please, come in! And don't listen to Martin; I've got plenty of time!"

"But Sir, what about that-" his secretary starts.

Arald holds up a hand. "That's enough, thank you Martin, but I say we should get down to business, don't you?"

Martin jerks his head once, pulling a sheet of paper from his vest. "First up, Alyss Mainwaring!"

The tall blonde steps lightly forward, curtseying slightly. "Baron, sir, I'd like to be a Courier."

Arald doesn't even need to turn to Lady Pauline. "I believe that's already in arrangement, yes?"

Pauline nods. "Indeed it is. She shall begin tomorrow morning."

Alyss steps back and Martin calls Horace forward. "Battle school, sir."

Sir Rodney assumes an assessing look. "He's big. I'll take him."

The rest continues like that, with George stuttering he'd like to be a Scribe and Jenny without hesitation stating that she's _going_ to be with Master Chubb.

"And Will!" Martin shouts, a bit startled at the lack of a family name.

Will glides forward, bowing slightly.

"And where would you like to go?" Arald asks, leaning forward.

Will looks him dead in the eyes. "I do not know, sir."

The Baron seems shocked at such a response, but quickly covers it up and looks to his other craft masters. "Would any of you consider taking him?"

Master Chubb vehemently shakes his head. "No way is he coming into _my_ kitchen! Every time I turn around he's there stealing honey or some other sweet!"

The Battlemaster shakes his head. "He's too small. I doubt he can lift a sword."

Will's right ear flicks at the insult, but he stays silent.

Lady Pauline tilts her head, noting his lithe form. "He _is_ fairly quick on his feet… Allow me to think it over."

Arald nods. "Please tell me your decision by tomorrow; as for the rest of you; congratulations! Your apprenticeships begin tomorrow, so go and enjoy your last day of freedom!" he laughs, but the children, save Alyss and Will, all pale at his choice of words. He sighs, waving his hand in dismissal. Martin escorts them out, accidentally slamming the door shut.

Rodney turns to Lady Pauline. "You're really considering mentoring that _beast_? You do realize that his only conversations are with dogs, right?"

Pauline sighs. "No, I don't want him; I only said it to spare him from embarrassment. Where is Ranger Halt? Didn't he say he was going to be here?" Her last question is directed at Arald.

The Baron frowns. "Yes, he _was_ supposed to be here. But how did you know that?"

The courier smiles slightly. "It's my job to know the going-ons, is it not?"

Arald's frown deepens, and he calls for his secretary.

"Please go find Ranger Halt, tell him I need to speak with him," he says when the man pokes his head inside.

Martin smacks his head. "I forgot! He told me to give you this letter; and to apologize for not going to make it today."

"He knew he wasn't going to make it?" Arald stands, snatching up the letter and tearing it open. He scans it quickly, nodding as he reads.

"I guess; he also asked for you to hold off on deciding where that wolf-boy goes, at least until he talks to him," Martin adds, almost as a passing thought.

"Anything else?" Sir Rodney asks sarcastically.

Martin taps his chin. "Yeah, something about hair or something…"

Arald nods, waving him away. "Yes, yes, thank you Martin."

Martin begins to withdraw, but pauses as a shriek rips through the air.

"Did you hear-" he begins, but is interrupted by another horrified cry.

Arald and Sir Rodney push past him, running down the stairs.

* * *

Will walks through the village, still seething over the Battlemaster's comment.

"_Can't lift a sword_," he literally growls, not caring for once the wary looks he receives from the towns' people. "_I'll show you-_"

He's cut off by a piercing scream. Fighting the current of people flooding away from the path that leads to the forest, he arrives in time to see a large black bear knock a cloaked rider from a shaggy horse; sending both flying into the air. The horse screeches in pain, and it lands with a sickening _thump_ ten feet away. Its rider crashes into a side-shop, and the hastily built store collapses; one of the solid maple beams pinning the man's legs.

The bear roars again, charging at the downed human covered in her missing cub's scent.

Will stands frozen, the scene becoming doubled as he remembers his mother's death at the paws of a grizzly bear. The trapped man glances up, revealing his face.

His dark eyes never leave the sight of his demise rampaging his way, and his bushy beard is soaked with blood from a gash on his check. Will connects this face to the first human he saw; the small man that had saved him from following his mother with an arrow.

Without thinking, he sprints to intercept the bear, ramming his shoulder into her ribs and sending her skidding of course. Will digs his heels in, stopping to stand protectively in front of the human.

* * *

Halt stares the bear in the eyes, finding himself surprisingly calm despite knowing he's going to die. The laceration on his face is only a slight discomfort, barely even noticeable with all the adrenaline running through his system. His heart beats steadily as the bear stampedes his way.

Suddenly, the animal is knocked out of the way, and someone stands before him. It takes Halt a moment to put a name to the mass of unruly brown hair and matching eyes that burn with determination.

_What the hell!? It's Will!_ He thinks; blinking to make sure he's identified the right person. Taking in the defensive posture, Halt has a huge sense of deja-vu. _He looks like…his father,_ he finally makes the connection, remembering the first time someone stood to defend him.

The bear shakes herself, roaring at the new threat. Will bellows right back, voice strong and deep. She takes off again, and Will dashes away, meeting her halfway and they crash together with another chorus of rumbling snarls. He kicks her once, twice, a third time in the chest before clawing at her face and slipping out of reach. The bear rears back, pawing at her eyes. Will slams his elbow into her sternum, and Halt hears it crunch. She screams in pain, throwing her paw down and narrowly missing Will's face. He dances backwards, circling her and growling, making sure to keep to her injured left side.

Movement in his peripheral vision causes Halt to turn his head and spot Arald and Sir Rodney arriving on the scene, both holding swords. They stare in shock as the bear lurches forward and as Will hits her in the jaw. But he doesn't get away fast enough, and the bear smacks him with the back of her paw and sends him tumbling backwards, toward Halt.

Both men finally see Halt trapped, and as Will thunders another challenge, run to help their friend while the boy distracts the beast.

Rodney sheaths his sword, standing behind Halt and trying to lift the beam enough for Arald to drag Halt from underneath it.

"Don't help me!" he practically shouts, trying to push them away. "Go help the boy!"

"He's obviously taking care of himself," Rodney grunts, staining to lift the beam. "Besides, why is it even here? Why didn't you kill it in the forest with your bow?"

"IT BROKE MY BOW!" Halt booms. "NOW GET OVER THERE AND _HELP THE BOY!"_

The two warriors share a glance, and as one turn to assist Will. Charging together, they rush to enter the fray.

Will deals a swift blow to the bear's back, whirling to the right side, away from the deadly claws. Out of nowhere, a blade starts to swing his way and he ducks to avoid it. The bear, seeing that her tormentor's attention is distracted, swings with all her might at his head. The connection feels solid, and the small human flies forward, bouncing off the ground and crumpling into a small heap. Her satisfaction is short lived as two steel blades cause fire in her chest. Death soon claims her and she hopes that it also takes the boy.

* * *

"NO!" Halt cries as he watches helplessly as Will is pitched forward. He struggles uselessly against his prison, only causing himself more pain. Rodney and Arald finish off the bear, but Halt barely notices in his desperation to get to Will; who lies unmoving on the ground thirteen feet away.

Some soldiers and Battle school apprentices appear; apparently Sir Rodney had sent word for backup.

"Get that wood of the Ranger," he commands, and five warriors instantly comply. The scaffolding is easily lifted, and Halt is dragged out by two of the apprentices. He climbs painfully to his feet, stumbling to Will's side.

"Will? Will can you hear me?" Halt says, rolling the boy over and pressing his ear to Will's chest. His heart beats steadily, though is breathing is a bit shallow.

A sigh explodes from his mouth, and he momentarily closes his eyes in relief. The child isn't dead, just unconscious. He cradles the boy in his arms, and shakily stands. He staggers over to his horse, who lifts his head as he hears his master approach. He tries to stand, but long cuts along the back of his thighs stop him.

"Shhh Abelard, just rest. Good boy, easy boy," Halt coos, patting his stead's head. He quickly inspects the wounds, and is happy to find they aren't too deep; just painful enough to stop him from rising.

"Baron, could you get Billy down here? He'll know how to care for Abelard more efficiently than I will," Halt asks, getting to his feet again. "And could I borrow a cart? I don't think I'll make it out to my cottage and riding will be impossible."

"Of course, anything you need," the Baron replies hurriedly, motioning for a couple of soldiers to get on with it. They gather the supplies quickly, and Halt painfully slides onto the back of the wagon. A willing merchant drives the pair to Halt's destination, but only after Halt saw that Billy had arrived to care for Abelard.

Laying the boy in the spare bed, Halt almost doesn't make it to his own before collapsing into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Halt snaps awake, the sharp pain in his legs now a bit dulled. Sitting upright, he listens intently for what had woken him in the first place.

_There,_ he thinks, slipping out of bed. _One of the floor boards creaked._

Opening his door a crack, he peers into the kitchen-dining-living room. Will stands leaning against the wall, eyes blearily gazing around and his nose quivering. Halt pushes the door open fully, limping out to help the child.

"Here, sit down, you've probably got a concussion," he commands, guiding Will to one of the stools. After making sure that the boy won't fall over, he heads to the kitchen to make some tea. He'd rather have coffee, but right now they both need a soothing drink.

Handing one of the cups to Will, he drags in another stool and plops gratefully into it. He studies the boy over the rim of his drink, noting that is breathing seems regular.

"I want to thank you," he says after a minute, "for saving my life. You risked your own life to protect mine, and no words will ever describe how thankful I am."

Will stares in surprise over his tea. No one had _ever_ thanked him for _anything._ Besides, isn't that what humans do for each other?

He continues to watch Halt, waiting for the punch line. The Ranger copies his move, sipping his drink casually. After a moment, Will looks away, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

Halt sighs, setting his cup aside. "So, have you decided who you're going to apprentice under?"

Another startled gaze. _Why does this man care? _Will thinks. But he doesn't smell anything unusual, just sweat, blood, and the forest. _Maybe he's just making small talk until someone comes to get me?_

Will's hands tighten around his mug, and again he breaks the staring contest first. Another sigh, this one louder, from Halt, and he snaps irritably, "At least introduce yourself; seeing as we haven't officially met yet."

The door is suddenly thrown open, and Lady Sandra bursts in, making a beeline for Will.

"Oh my god! Will, don't you ever, ever, _ever_ do something so reckless again! The news of the bear frightened me enough; not to mention you _fought_ it!" she crushes him to her chest. Looking at Halt for the first time, she says, "Thank you so much for taking care of him, I'll take him back to the ward now."

Halt waves his hand. "He wasn't that much of a problem; we both slept for the most part." He follows them out the door; continuing to stand on the porch as Lady Sandra drags him to a waiting horse and carriage.

Will suddenly stops, turns and faces Halt. His lip curls slightly as he growls out a low note that raises an octave at the last second.

Both Halt and Lady Sandra blanch.

"What?" Halt asks hoarsely, blinking.

"My name," Will replies, "is-" he repeats the growl. "But since you can't speak wolf, I guess you can call me Will. Do you mind if I come back tomorrow?"

Halt's face splits into a rare grin as he gets what Will's _really_ asking. "You can come back anytime you want."

Will smiles in return, hopping onto the cart and jerking his hand in a small wave. Halt copies the gesture, smile staying in place. He remains on the porch until the cart disappears from view, and heads inside. Setting out his damaged cloak, he sits down to repair it.

_And after this is done,_ he thinks, threading the needle. _I should probably go talk to the Baron and inform him that I have a new apprentice…_


	4. Day One of Training

**Hey, I know it's been FOREVER, but I finally got around to updating Wolfson! As I'm saying on all my other stories, b/c of how many other fanfics I have; the ****_view's system_**** will be activated from now on. Just look at my profile to check out what I'm talking about. But basically, the more popular the story=the more often I update it. Hope you love this new installment; I sure had fun writing it!**

Will stands outside Halt's cottage, staring at the door. He knows that Halt knows he's here; and he also knows that the Ranger's waiting for him to knock. But something's holding Will back. It takes him a moment to nail what it is.

_Nerves._ Will is _nervous._ His mother would cuff him over the head for having such a useless feeling.

_Never show weakness in front of the enemy; it sets you up for defeat._

But Halt's not his enemy…Is he?

"_No!_" Will growls low, raising his fist to hit the wood. _Halt saved me from the bear; and wants _me _as an apprentice!_ He thinks as he listens to the echo. The door opens a second later; Halt's dark eyes look Will over carefully.

"About time you got here," he grumbles, standing back to let the boy in. Will lightly steps over the threshold, eyes darting over every corner of the space while his ears register the whine of the door.

_That's like putting sticks outside the entrance of the cave…_Will notes, warming up to the house slightly. Halt turns back to him, staring him down again.

"Your room will be through this door," he says, leading him to the other side of the cabin. Will's ears flick, and he laughs slightly.

"What?" Halt asks sharply, whirling around.

Will smiles slightly. "Only certain floorboards creak, and it just reminds me of the den…"

"How so?" Halt crosses his arms, face guarded to hide his genuine curiosity.

Will shrugs. "Mother would put thorns or rocks just under the dirt inside so that if something got in they'd stab their feet," he explains. "Then we'd follow the blood trail and kill them. Though they were usually just scrawny squirrels…"

"And you have room to talk?" Halt replies before striding away. _That could actually be useful…_ He thinks, ignoring Will's huff of indignation. Pushing open the door, Halt motions for Will to enter first.

"Bed," he says, pointing to the cot it the corner. "Closet." The hollowed out space against in wall. "Side table." A stout little cabinet resting on the floor next to the bed frame. "Unpack your things and meet me in the living room for the rest of the tour."

Halt leaves, and Will tosses his shoulder-pack onto the bed. Pulling out the few possessions he has, he stores them all in the closet. Plopping down on the mattress, he deems it comfortable enough. Standing, he walks the perimeter, checking for drafts. Despite the older look of the place, it's very well sealed.

_Perhaps that's the reason for the stale scent,_ Will wonders. _Either that or this room hasn't been used in forever._ Deciding that the rest of his mini-inspection can wait, he makes his way back to the 'living room'.

The Ranger sits on what is obviously _his_ chair, reading over what looks like a file.

"The living room," he says, gesturing with his hand to the room he's currently occupying. An empty fireplace is on the wall closest to where Halt sits, a thick wool rug spread out on the floor.

"The kitchen," he says, flicking his hand at the sink and small table four feet away. Cabinets line the wall around the wood-burning stove, and next to that is a dish-drying rack.

"Last and most certainly off-limits, my room," he finishes, waving his hand at the closed door at the other end of the house. He settles back into silence, and Will pads around the rest of his new surroundings, running through the same routine that he'd done in his room. He also takes notice of all the boards that creak and where the 'path' of silent ones lay.

"Oh, and don't get any ideas. I may not have your uncanny sense of smell but you _will never_ be able to sneak _anything_ past me. Understood?"

"Yes," Will murmurs. _I understand that you've issued a challenge…which I accept._

"Good. Now start a fire."

"Where's the firewood?"

"I ran out yesterday; you're going to have to cut some new kindling."

"Do you have an ax?"

"No, I want you to use your head to split it. Of course I have an ax! It's in the shed near the woods."

Will glares mildly at his mentor before gliding to the door. Wandering to the back of the cabin, he easily locates the stump. The shed is slightly more hidden, blocked from view by a towering oak. Picking up the ax, he flips it up to rest on his shoulder.

_Now, to find a tree…_

* * *

Halt suddenly looks up from his report; sixth sense on high alert. He listens intently; searching for something that doesn't belong. But every sound is as it should be except…

"Will!" He jumps off his chair, tossing the file aside and barging through the door. Rushing around to the back, his heart relaxes as he doesn't see the boy on the ground, having brained himself. Nor does he see him actually _working_ like he's supposed to.

Halt pauses again, trying to worm his way into thinking like Will. He automatically strides to the shed, and finds the ax missing. Knowing it's not back at the stump, he looks for tracks. It surprisingly takes him a minute to find the snapped twig, and for a moment Halt worries that his tracking skills won't be able to locate the child. He _was_ raised by a wolf, after all.

_But even predators leave traces,_ Halt thinks determinedly, following the faint markings into the forest.

The trail is relatively straight, but occasionally it stops right in front of a tree, as if Will isn't looking where he's going.

_By my oakleaf, if this boy is hunting something I'm going to kill him,_ Halt threatens silently when the footprints stop once again before a maple. A few feet from that spot, the tracks disappear, and he quickly backtracks. But there are no other branch-offs, and the footprints are relatively fresh.

Halt stands, unconsciously stroking his beard as he contemplates where Will could've gone. But something keeps him from concentrating correctly, and Halt realizes that the sound is coming from around him. Turning slowly around, he tries to locate it as the pounding stops. The air is suddenly filled with a hollow, yet deep whistle, and many sharp cracks. Halt looks up, and his eyes widen as he spies a massive limp falling from the sky.

Diving out of the way, Halt curses himself for leaving his bow at home. Unsheathing his throwing knife, he cocks his arm to throw it. A shadow leaps from the tree, and Halt unthinkingly releases his weapon. It sails through the air perfectly…

…Just as Halt realizes the shadow is Will.

"Look out!" He cries, and Will lunges to the right not a moment too soon as the blade sinks into the wood of the fallen branch. He stands quickly, eyes tracking the flight pattern back to his mentor.

"Halt?" he calls, squinting. "Is that you?"

"Of course it's me! Who else do you know that could throw a knife _that_ perfectly?" Halt replies, striding towards the bewildered boy and yanking his weapon out of the wood. "What the hell are you doing all the way out here?" He growls, smacking Will on the back of the head. "I could've killed you just then!"

"I'm gathering wood to be slit for firewood…Like you told me to," Will explains slowly, not even blinking as the smack connects with his head. "What are _you_ doing out here?"

"Looking for you!"

"Why?" Will seems surprised with Halt's reply; his eyebrows pinching together.

"Because I couldn't find you around the cabin! Why couldn't you just cut from the trees closer to the clearing?"

"Those trees are all too young; it will kill them if I cut from them now," Will says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"So? I saw plenty of dead ones on the way here; why not use any of them?"

Will shakes his head. "They're too dry and brittle, they'd burn too fast."

Halt sighs in exasperation. "There's no pleasing you, is there?"

Will frowns. "This tree right here is fine; it's still alive but it won't last through the winter. Its wood will burn for warmer and longer than older or younger ones will."

"You can sense all that?"

Will nods, a wary gleam entering his eyes. "…Yes?"

"Don't answer a question with a question. Can you or can't you?"

Will nods his affirmative.

Halt sighs. "Now was that so hard? Don't answer that," he adds quickly as he sees that Will plans on doing just that. "Is that why your tracks were so…weird?"

"Weird? Oh, you mean stopping in front of the other trees?" Halt nods, and Will shrugs. "Yeah; it's kinda crazy. But just like flowers, trees emit their own scent."

"Do they really?" Halt mutters and Will nods again. Halt gazes down at the branch, then up to the sky.

"We'd better start heading back; pick up your branch and the ax and let's go," the Ranger commands, striding away. Will sighs, tucking the shaft of the ax into his belt and dragging the tree back towards the cabin.

**Well, good day for now! I hope to see you all again ****_real_**** soon!**


	5. Someone Doesn't Like You

_**WolfSon's**_** turn! I love all the support; a whole 6 reviews on ch. 2! It sucks though that you're near the bottom of the 'pack' XP (bad pun). When I checked, ****_WW_**** had 161 views for March, and that's quite a bit considering March's only half-over (well, nearly). Sorry, I can't seem to find a way to give you extra credit like I'm doing on the other stories; I can't seem to weave something in. Maybe next chapter... (ps, does anyone else write better when they're hungry? Just wondering; I don't want to be alone...) Just fyi; from here on out if something is ****_bolded _****_and italicized_****, then it's one of Will's wolf mom's lessons. **

The wood pile is stocked…dinner's simmering on the stove…not a spec of dust is in the air (though the space outside is a different story; that rug was _disgusting_) and wild flowers are busy chasing away the scent of sweat and something more sinister. Will can think of _no_ _other_ menial chore that could _possibly _be thrown his way.

Yet _something_ still must need to be done; Will's instinct screams it. He paces on a section of silent planks, quietly searching his memory for _anything_ that might clue him in to what's bothering him so. He almost goes as far as to call for Halt, but stops himself just in time. Will's only been with Halt for six hours, and even in that short amount of time he knows invading the elder Ranger's privacy would be his last mistake in this life.

A sigh bursting from his lips, he plops down in what he now thinks of as _his_ chair and stands just as quickly. Instantly stilling, he takes shallow breaths through his mouth to try to catch _whatever_ scent that was. Casually drifting through the small cottage, Will can tell it's a combination of many smells; one of them definitely the forest…maybe a hint of blood…yes, but more than one source…excitement, anxiety, plain old fear too; but who's blood is it?

Will clenches his teeth in frustration; then forces himself to relax.

**_You can't force the scent to tell you everything; it's like a stubborn pup. Just be patient and listen_**_._

Will takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and focuses solely on the copper-y smell of blood. A memory awakens; and the name's on the tip of Will's tongue…just _spit it out_…

"What on earth are you doing, boy?" Halt says, breaking his concentration and causing the apprentice to jump at least four feet into the air.

Will sighs, letting the almost-thought drift away. "Nothing much; just waiting for your next assignment."

Halt raises an eyebrow. "Standing in the middle of the room _completely silent _is as far from normal as apprentices can get; and may I remind you you're already no where _near_ normal to begin with."

Will rolls his eyes as his mentor makes for the soup on the stove.

"That's going to need anther four to five minutes before it's perfect," he calls as Halt lifts the lid, who grimaces.

"Eh, it's close enough," he mumbles, retrieving a bowl and spooning some in.

Will shrugs. "Suit yourself."

"I certainly will." Halt opens another cupboard, then frowns.

"Since you're going to wait, go and get some coffee. We're running a bit low."

"That's going to take well over ten minutes, nonetheless _five_!" Will whines. Halt stares at him coolly, and Will caves.

"Could you at least turn the stove off when you've finished your bowl?" he asks, donning his cloak. Halt grunts, and Will sighs; knowing the Ranger will do whatever he wants.

Closing the door behind him, Will sets off at a brisk walk, just in case Halt's watching through the window. Rounding the bend, he takes off; knowing he won't be able to run with a couple of bags of coffee in tow.

Suddenly, he stops, eyes tearing as the pungent scent of death envelopes him. Holding his breath, he peers into the small trees and bushes that line the path. His brown eyes widen in horror and shock before he stumbles backwards. In his haste, his foot steps into a miniature ditch and he lands on his back. He gasps to try to get air back into his lungs but the unbearable smell of the mutilated wolf's blood and his own fear chokes him. Feeling bile rise, he rolls over to avoid drowning on his vomit.

His stomach empties itself on the road, and Will thanks his lucky stars that the sharp acidic smell covers the one of death. Breathing deeply; he tries to stop the shaking so he can stand. After what feels like a century, he weakly climbs to his feet; using the trees on the opposite side of the road to help him escape what he's just seen. As soon as his nose registers clean air, he collapses and is unable to stop the images of the deceased wolf's intestines spilling from its body from flashing across his mind's eye; or the sight of its skull cracked open to show the sky what a brain looks like.

Will retches again, but only the smallest trickle of sour fluid gets to meet the ground. Finished, he leans back against a young pine.

That_ was what I scented at the cabin,_ he thinks. _How the _hell _could I've forgotten what wolf blood smells like?_

And more importantly, _Who in the world could've left that for me?_

* * *

Will arrives back later than he should've, and he knows Halt knows. Trying to appear normal, he quietly steps inside and strides to the kitchen to put away the precious grains. He dully notes that the soup's cold; apparently Halt did as he asked.

As if thinking of him forces him to appear, Will hears Halt step on the board behind him.

He clears his throat unnecessarily. "Will?"

The apprentice tenses at the sound of the loaded question. "Yes Halt?"

Halt frowns, and Will can smell his rising impatience. "Why are you home so late?"

"I…ran into an old friend and stopped to chat," he murmurs; not really believing he'll get away with the half-truth.

"Oh? And what's this friend's name?"

He says the first thing that comes to mind. "Horace."

Will resists the urge to cures; knowing his fate's been sealed.

"Horace?" Halt asks with mock-shock. "You _can't_ be talking about Horace Altman. No, this is some different Horace, one that _didn't_ treat you like a living punching bag as you grew up. One that _didn't_ ostracize you the older you got. Oh, how silly of me to assume you meant _that_ Horace." He pauses mid-rant, waiting to see if Will's going to contradict him. "Now, tell me why you're _really_ late," he demands when his apprentice still continues to remain silent.

"It was really nothing…" Will murmurs, keeping his back to the Ranger.

"I'll be the judge of what 'nothing' is," Halt snaps. He grabs Will's shoulders and forces him to turn around. "And it's considered polite to face the person you're speaking to."

Will keeps his head bowed; using his hair to hid his eyes. "I found a…dead wolf near the village. He was just lying there, so…undignified. I couldn't just leave him there, so I made him a grave…and laid him to rest."

Halt blinks in surprise. He knows he's been told only another half-truth, but decides not to push it. The boy's obviously upset, but something's off…

"What kind of grave did you make?" Halt finally realizes what's up: the boy doesn't have a spec of dirt on him.

Will looks up; not expecting _that_. "I covered him with leaves and branches. His body…I guess the horse's hooves gouged him pretty good…"

Halt nods; again sensing there's something he's missing. "You might want to heat the soup up, it's pretty cold."

Will glances behind him, paling considerably. "That's okay…I'm not hungry anymore…"

_Now _that's _a whole truth,_ Halt's lip almost curls into a smile. "Then put it into another container and make sure it's air tight. No sense in wasting what's going to be tomorrow's lunch."

Will nods and Halt retreats back to his room. The clatter in the kitchen continues for a minute before the floorboards creak and Will's door closes. Halt frowns, knowing he should keep the kid working; but decides to cut him some slack. The kid not only witnessed his mother's death (he was also there for his human mother's too), but also stumbled upon the carcass of what he considers to have been one of his kin.

Sighing, he returns back to his files, knowing without a doubt he'll be working into the early morning hours. It was during that time period that he started hearing Will scream.


	6. Nightmares are Just the Beginning

**=/**

**You guys went ****_down_****. That is the opposite of what you're supposed to do. *sigh* Ah well, here's the next chapter anyway! Sorry it took so long; I sorta-kinda had a fever for three days. Please forgive my weak immune system (I know I won't be any time soon...). Oh, almost forgot: this is a very short chapter. I couldn't make it longer without doubling it in the process...plus it ended kinda mysteriously so...deal with it.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! Just to let you know**

_The cool forest floor brushes against paws that ghost across the ground. The air is crisp with the promise of rain, and something more. Will pauses, lifting his snout into the air. A twig snaps behind him, and his ears twitch in that direction. Silence for a moment before a squirrel darts up a maple to escape him. Snorting, he trots away, weaving between the shadows cast down by the evening sun. _

_Instinct draws him to the human road. Wary yet curious, he hides in the bushes near the deserted path. Golden eyes take in the many dips and trenches, looking for what calls to him. His sixth sense suddenly screams for him to flee; that evil is behind him. He manages to get no further than standing when something hard smashes into the back of his head. Collapsing on the spot, he tries to see past the starbursts hindering his sight so he can glimpse his attacker. _

_Another blow crashes into his skull, and a few more smack his ribs. He cries out in pain; claws digging into the ground in an attempt to pull himself away. But something sharp cuts through his pelt and embeds itself in his upper thigh. He screams as it's ripped out and his other hind leg is rendered useless. The scent of his own spilled blood clogs his nose, but his ears tell him that his assailant is stalking around him. Eyes flickering wildly, he tries again to spot his aggressor._

_He finally steps into his line of sight, and Will's eyes widen in disbelief. _

It can not be! That is impossible! _He whimpers to himself as a brown haired youth squats next to him, a freshly stained knife twirling around his thin fingers. His blank brown eyes study his downed quarry for a moment before his thin lips stretch into what once could've been a dazzling smile. With blinding speed, the blade sinks into his stomach. Too weak to call out anymore, he lies limply as he's sliced open. Darkness crowds the edges of his vision as human-Will continues to dice his insides._

_Fleeing into unconsciousness gratefully, he waits for the pain to fade; only to somehow be dragged back to wakefulness. Human-Will is shaking his head slowly like a scolding father, clucking his tongue._

"_That is not how we do this," he says hollowly. "It's no fun if you're sleeping; especially for the good part."_

_Heart beating faster than a hummingbird's, wolf-Will starts to shake as the knife flashes down to his head…_

* * *

Halt bursts into Will's room, expecting the boy to be fighting for his life. And in a way, he was. With the enemy being his sheets.

Halt jumps slightly as the child whimpers, turning without warning into a blood curling screech of agony. Darting to the bedside, he gently shakes the sweating boy's shoulder. Will yelps, throwing open his eyes and a hand. The Ranger catches it before it strikes his chest, gripping tightly as the boy writhes and jerks to try to free it. His brown eyes hold on to Halt's; wide and unseeing as he trembles in what remains of pure animalistic fear.

"Halt?" he rasps, breathing slowing along with his heart rate. "What're you doing?"

"Trying to find the fire," he replies gruffly. "I heard some noise and thought it might be in here. Guess not."

Will bows his head, once again tugging at his arm. "Can I have that back?"

"Yeah, once you tell me _why_ it was flung my way in the first place."

Will's eyes flash up to his master before he sighs. "You woke me up. It's a natural reaction among humans; no?"

"Woke you up from what, the best dream ever? Did you want to stay there or something?"

Will shudders and hopes that Halt hadn't caught it. "No… No, I didn't want to stay. You just…startled me; I wasn't expecting _you_ to be there."

"Who'd you think was going to be here?"

Will's head once again flops to stare down at his disrupted bed. Halt waits a moment before releasing his arm and sitting next to his apprentice.

"I may not be some old lady you can go cry to, but I do know what a nightmare is," he says softly. "And I understand that you and I don't know each other very well, but that may as well start to change now."

Will warily glances through his lashes up at the Ranger. The indecision that's plain in his eyes causes the heart that Halt claims he doesn't have to constrict for the pain the boy must've gone through to not be able to trust someone.

His eyes flash with an emotion that Halt can't catch before Will suddenly smiles.

"No, but you _are_ an old man!"

The old man in question blinks for a moment before his mind registers that Will's acting like a child and not someone scared out of their mind.

Mouth returning to the pre-set frown, he replies, "And this _old man_ can kick your scrawny ass on any given day. Get dressed and start your chores. And clean out the rug again; since you're in such a chipper mood."

Will groans, falling back onto his pillow as his teacher leaves the room.

_That should teach him to fool with me,_ Halt grumbles to himself, pushing the child's terrified screams out of his mind. If he could rebound that quickly then it couldn't be _that_ bad of a dream; could it?

**Hey, just a heads up: I might start replying to reviews down here...but that's still just a maybe.**


	7. I Hope you Breathe Easier

**I'm back! I missed you guys ****_so_**** much! I love all the reviews, and at the end you'll find replies to them! You're still at the bottom; but that's okay! This chapter is kinda slow in the middle, but it picks up at the end. ****Thanx again for all the love, and keep reading! Oh, and just a warning: I do not do archery (wish I did) and it has been awhile since I last read the first RA book. So forgive me for...furture mistakes. But there shouldn't be any_ really _big ones; thanks to Falcon31 and everybody else on the RA wikia! Thanks again for answering my questions!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! (tear slides down cheek)**

Will smacks the rug with all his strength, grunting as another cloud of choking dust explodes from it. Lashing out at it again, he steps away to get a breath of fresh air.

_How the hell did it collect _this _much dust?_ he wonders as he dives back in and thwacks it again. He continues to hit the offending object, oblivious to Halt watching him nearby.

"How much anger do you have bottled up kid?" he asks, causing Will to gasp sharply and then try to exhale the dirt just as fast. Realizing his mistake, he pulls the teen away from the suffocating air just as he pitches forward.

"You….shouldn't…sneak 'round…like that," Will wheezes as he leans against the Ranger; still feeling grime lodged in his throat.

"You should've been paying attention," Halt replies, patting his back as the boy returns to fighting for air. The coughing fit finally dissipates, and Will stands to glare fully into his mentor's eyes.

"What do you need anyway? Or have you decided that my punishment's been fulfilled?"

Halt snorts. "Oh, you've a _long _way to go before you're off the hook. I just thought it's time to give you a new challenge."

He releases the interested student then, striding away to an empty field a ways away from the cabin. Will follows after a moment's hesitation, for the life of him not knowing his fate.

Halt stops suddenly, squatting down to pick up a stick.

_Not a stick,_ Will corrects. _A bow. But why's it so curvy?_

Halt turns to face his apprentice, nearly laughing at the pure curiosity shining in his eyes. This is his _favorite_ part of training…that and all the free housework. He hands the readily-strung weapon to Will; who instantly looks over every inch. Twirling it around in his hands, he runs a finger down the length of it. It _looks _like a bunch of pieces of wood smashed together; and without even testing the string, he knows this can do some _serious_ damage.  
So why the hell is it in _his_ hands?

And why does Halt look like he's expecting something?

"Umm…cool bow," Will says after a minute. "But why does it have so many bends?"

"It's called a recurve bow," Halt says gruffly, and Will wonders what he's done to disappoint him _this_ time. "It has a lower draw weight but still has a lot of power and speed. Good for apprentices to start out with."

Will glances back down at the bow in his hands. Using his left to hold it at the halfway point, he pulls the string back with his index and middle finger. It offers little resistance, and Will's hand nearly reaches his face.

"Have you ever shot a bow before?" Halt asks, and Will lowers the weapon, relaxing the string.

"No, but I used to watch the archers at the castle practice all the time," he replies, eyes glazing over as he remembers. "It was always so mesmerizing; watching the arrows arc through the air and hit the targets."

Halt nods once. "Take up that position again."

Will does as he's ordered, and the Ranger begins to circle him, often nudging his arm up or fixing the way his foot is placed. Will's head automatically begins to follow his path, and it takes all his willpower not to turn with him.

"Stop turning your head; keeping looking in front of you," Halt snaps, pushing on the side of his head until it's back in the correct position.

Will grinds his teeth as his mentor disappears behind him. Jumping slightly when he touches his shoulder; he forces himself to relax.

_He won't hurt you; he's a friend, he's a friend,_ he chants over and over again. But years of being told to never turn your back on _anyone_ is hard to ignore.

Halt thankfully exits from Will's blind spot, looking him over once more. Frowning, he returns to Will's right side, eyeing the hand holding the string back.

"You need to pull it back a bit more," he instructs, his hand wrapping Will's tighter around the string and gently pulling back. Will nearly sighs as most of the pressure is taken out of his hand. He's not weak, but holding the bow at a draw is starting to become tiring.

Halt suddenly releases his hold, nudging his apprentice's arm back up. The string slips from Will's fingers, stinging his left forearm and leaving an angry red burn.

A low hiss with a growl tacked on the end passes through Will's lips, and his left hand turns white with the force he's holding the bow with.

Breathing heavily, he turns to his mentor. "That_…hurt_! Tell me that won't happen _every time_ I try to shoot this thing_._"

Halt's face is impassive as he replies. "No, that's normal. But that's why we use _this_." He hands the youth a thick leather armguard, quickly showing him how to put it on and giving a useless warning of '_never take it off_'.

Halt then hands him his quiver of arrows, showing the correct way to wear it and how to 'load' his arrows. The Ranger points out a series of targets; has his student shot for a few. After a few hours of correcting _many_ mistakes, Halt leaves to prepare a late lunch-early dinner. But not before sternly telling Will that he'll know if he didn't continue to practice.

Will sighs, shouting that he will as Halt disappears. Running through another round of arrows, he winces at how _horrible_ his skills are. He's never been the sporty-type, if you discount climbing trees and running form Horace.

Jogging across the meadow to collect his projectiles, he gets to the furthest target when the smell hits him.

He just can't seem to avoid _death_.

Heart pumping adrenaline through his system, he peers behind the tree the target's nailed to…

…and nearly vomits on a pair of harvested wolf lungs.

Gleaming sickly in the afternoon light, Will doesn't need his nose to tell him these are from _that_ wolf. His breathing unconsciously speeding up, he drops his bow and quickly digs a shallow hole. Using a fallen tree branch to push them inside, he packs the dirt back in place and scuffs around some leaves in an attempt to hide the hastily dug 'grave'. Hopefully another predator will come around and take them away so Halt won't find them…

_Uhg, what am I thinking!?_ Will screams at himself; knowing his mother would be doing the same if she could hear his thoughts. _How could I want that for my kin?_

Sinking dirty hands and broken nails into his scalp, he pulls at his hair as he quietly screeches in frustration. What is he supposed to do? How's he supposed to keep this from Halt? What if something like this—

He stops his panicking as he hears the cabin door open; footsteps on the porch. Snatching up his forgotten bow, he rushes to the field and pretends to collect fallen arrows just as Halt appears.

"Food's done," he calls, eyes giving no clue as to if he knows what Will's up to.

His stomach clenches at the mere _thought_ of swallowing a bite.

"Uh…if it's okay with you, I want to practice some more," Will weakly hollers back, hoping the tremor doesn't reach his master's ears.

Halt frowns, sixth sense telling him something's up. His eyes flicker around the range; but nothing's out of place that shouldn't be. Mildly staring at his apprentice, he swiftly nods his permission.

"But don't overwork yourself; I've got something planned for tomorrow."

"I won't." Comes the reply, but Halt's gut tells him that Will's going to train so hard that he'll just collapse into bed.

And when night finally arrives, Halt's hypothesis is proven correct.

And that still doesn't stop the cries and whimpers from echoing around the cottage.

**^O.O^**

**AreiaCananaid: **Sorry about the shortness; hope this made up for it! As for the romance, probably not, I'm not very good at writing that sort of stuff. Most likely it'll just be fluff between Will and Alyss; Horace and Cassandra.

**Savannah Silverstone: **Thank you for the compliment and the well-wishes! Tried to make it as creepy as possible, guess it worked!

**Dash 99: **Yes, yes he should. I actually thought about doing that too! =)

**flaminglake: **Thank you so much for all the love! Will and Halt's relationship is the thing I worry most about getting right! Well, next to Halt's character. He's sometimes a butt to write. As for 'chipper', I put it there because it just sounded right. Glad you liked it!

**FarmersDaughter: ***blushing furiously* I get all warm inside when I get reviews like this! People like you make it easy to do a good job :)

**SheMcScribe245: **Sup Scribe? Thank you for the compliment; hope the dream wasn't too bad for you! I was kinda scared myself when I was rereading for mistakes!

**Rageing: **Wow. Nobody's used a curse word in _any_ of my other reivews...is it _that_ good? Anyway, thanks for saying as much!


	8. A Shared Event

**I know it's been ****_forever_****, but my computer (well, it ****_could've_**** been me...) decided NOT to save this chappie, so I had to rewrite the whole thing. After I cried my eyes out for three days. Yeah, Life's a b*tch like that...but here it is; better late than never right? Oh, and stuff written like "_words words words"_ means that Will's literally speaking in wolf tongue, and the whole sentence must be that way. If Halt says something like that, it's just for exaggeration purposes. And I know earlier that I said the horse trainer's name was Billy or something...I just now figured out it's Bob. For simplicities' sake, I'll keep using Billy(plus, I like this name better).**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! (T.T)**

Halt puts his quill down, leaning back to read over his letter. Satisfied that his point is reached within the words, he rolls it up and slips it away for future mail. The wonderful scent of near-completed breakfast drifts under the crack in his door, drawing the Ranger out of his cave.

"What's cooking?" he asks gruffly as he takes his seat.

"Robin's eggs; some of the rabbit left over from last night's being reheated if you want it," Will replies, not bothering to turn and face his elder. "Coffee's already made."

"Where'd you get eggs?" A mug of the brew is poured and a soul is made instantly happy. Well, Halt's version of happiness.

"When I went out to fetch some wood I climbed a tree and took them." Will makes two plates, giving himself more eggs than meat. Handing the other to his master, he sits across from the graying man and pokes halfheartedly at his food.

"It's been awhile since I've had eggs," Halt says after a minute of silence. Will's eyes flicker upward for a moment before returning to his meal.

"A _really_ long time," he continues, watching his apprentice closely. Frowning more than usual, he sets his fork down and half glares at his apprentice. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Will asks quietly, refusing to meet those dark, steadfast eyes.

"I set myself up for at _least_ three jibes and you took _none_ of them." Halt raises an eyebrow. "And that's not _normal_ for _any_ living creature."

Will shrugs. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Yeah? Well neither did I."

Will winces, dipping his head lower to hide his face. Halt quietly sighs, for once regretting his poor people-skills.

"You also gave me more meat," he points out, trying again to coax his student to reveal his troubles.

"I'm just not hungry…" he mumbles, pushing the scrambled protein another lap around his plate. Abruptly standing, he murmurs something about refilling the fire stock and heads outside.

Halt stares at the door before picking up his discarded utensil.

"_That_ could've gone better," he mutters, looking to the pile of cut trees next to the mantle.

* * *

"_That_ couldn't have gone _worse_," Will says to no one as he cleaves another log in half. Sap from the branch gleams in the morning light, and his stomach rolls as he imagines it being blood instead.

_"Snap out of it," _he growls, tossing the halves away and replacing it with another section. _"Halt's coming on to you; you can do better than this."_

A throat is cleared behind him, and he whirls around to face his mentor.

"I thought I told you _not_ to overwork yourself," he grunts, crossing his arms.

"I'm not," Will replies, brushing a stray strand of hair away. "Besides, that was yesterday."

Halt blinks slowly, unfolding his arms and striding towards the forest.

"Grab your cloak and hurry up," he calls, not waiting. Dashing to where he'd thrown the garment over a branch, Will tosses the hatchet into the shed and flings on the durable material before sprinting to catch up with Halt.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"What are we going to do once we get there?"

"You'll see."

"What time are we going to get home?"

Halt stops, looking irately over his shoulder. "I said _you'll see_; now stop asking questions, you're drowning out our stalker's footsteps."

Will's eyes widen, and he takes a breath to speak but clamps his mouth shut just as quickly. Halt sighs; glad he managed to avoid _another_ inquiry. Resuming his trek through the woods, he watches from the corner of his eye as Will glances suspiciously around them.

Why did his apprentice have to be so gullible?

Sighing in self-pity, Halt continues on; gliding through the forest like the ghost he is. Will's actually pretty good at light-stepping, when he keeps his mouth shut.

_Maybe too good…_the thought stumbles in, alerting the Ranger that the near-silent swish of leaves that part to allow Will to follow has stopped. Twisting his head, he spots the boy standing a few feet behind him. The youth is staring at him with a mixture of wariness and…fear?

"What are you doing, we're almost there," he huffs, crossing his arms as he turns to fully face his charge.

"Why are we going to see _him_?"

Halt cocks an eyebrow. "_Him_ who?"

Will snorts. "You know who _he_ is; the apple-horse-man."

"How do _you_ know Billy?"

"Is that his name?" Will tilts his head. Halt clears his throat suggestively, and Will continues. "Well…I don't _personally_ know him, but Mother did. She'd always steal his chickens in the winter and once she almost got one of his horses—"

_"What!?"_ Halt cries, eye bugging out.

Will falls backward. "W-well it wasn't her fault; _he's_ the one that sent the beast after her—!"

"That was your _mother?!_"

"You were there?" Will asks, jaw hitting the floor.

"Of _course_ I was there; Billy'd been complaining about a wolf for months!" Halt shakes his head, then he frowns. "But that was almost ten years ago; you'd have been about five."

Will nods slowly. "Uh…yeah, sure. But were where you hiding? I don't remember seeing you…"

"_You were there too?!"_

The wolf-child smirks. "Duh; she had to show me what part of the forest to avoid _somehow_."

"Well where were _you?_" Halt demands.

"Where were _you?_" Will throws back.

"Answer my question!"

"I asked you first," Will points out, much to Halt's annoyance.

"I was hiding near the house to disguise my scent. And you?"

Will reaches out and touches a towering pine. "I was in this tree, watching."

"You really remember that?"

Will shrugs. "Kind of…But really I just saw these markings."

Halt strides to stand next to the apprentice, squinting slightly as he tries to make out the apparent discrepancy his student saw. But all he sees are holes and some bark that looks to have been pried off.

"I'm not following you," he grudgingly admits.

"Those holes are where my claws sunk in for a grip," Will explains. "And the missing section of husk is where Mother ripped me away. She carried me the entire way back to the den; afraid that the horse would trample me." He smiles at the memory. "We never came back here after that…."

Halt grunts, nodding his head once. "Well, I'm sure Billy'd love to hear this story," he says as he turns to continue to his destination.

"You can't tell him!" Will screeches.

"Why not? You had no part in killing his livestock, your mother did."

"He…He might still be holding a grudge against her!"

"Yeah, probably. What's your point?"

"He might take it out on me!"

Halt flicks his hand. "Nah, Billy wouldn't do something like that."

"Wouldn't do what like what?" a gravely voice asks, and Will tenses as a bow-legged man struts into view. "How's it goin' Halt? Here for Abelard I assume?"

The Ranger being questioned nods. "You're definitely not an ass at this moment."

The horse trainer snorts. "Nice wording Ranger. I'll turn a blind eye to the last part, though."

"But will you ignore a good story?" Halt asks enticingly, and Billy raises an eyebrow.

"Don't think I will. But first introduce me to the young man trying to hide behind your cloak."

"This is Will, my apprentice."  
Billy nods. "I thought as much. Does he need…?"

"Yes, but after my tale."

"Of course; why don't we go inside?"

Halt smiles slightly. "Thank you. Come on Will," he calls as the boy tries to sneak away. Despondently, Will shuffles after the older men, mentally preparing himself for what might transpire next.

**^0.0^**

**lily dot ivey: **I'm so glad that Fate (or a _good_ computer malfunction) has brought you to me! I'm relieved that you understand the terror Will's going through; when I first published the chapter I thought that I hadn't conveyed his feelings enough. Guess I was wrong! Oh, and sorry about having to mess with your name, it wouldn't show up otherwise!

**AreiaCananaid: **Glad you love it! Just FYI: there's only one wolf that's been killed so far (well, besides Will's wolf mom). The one by the road? Yeah, that's who all the organs are coming from. And _is_ my story awesome? I thought it was mediocor, but _awesome?_ I'm honored you think that!

**Dash99: ***Giggles* All in good time darling; all in _good_ _time_...

**Savannah Silverstone: **I'm glad you're enjoying it! To make your experiance (and my writing) better, what do you see that bothers you? I want to fix it so that other viewers that share your opinion will like this more!

**flaminglake: **Yeah, I wasn't really sure if that's how Will would've _truly_ acted having been raised by a wolf; but what the hell! As for the suspense, I heard it was a good writing tecnique...guess I'm doing it right... Anyway, I do know about the reply button; but I like doing it like this because...well, I don't know, I've always really liked bulk rather than individual better. If you'd like me to reply the other way I can :)

**FarmersDaughter: **Aw, thanks! I try to cut off the chapters where I think they best feel...'ended.' And I don't mind; you're not the only one using the caps lock button to rant about Halt's ignorance (wow, did I just use those two words next to eachother?). Hope you liked this chapter!

**SheMcScribe245: **Well, Will's known that the wolf isn't his _birth_ mother, but he still loves her like one because she was all he ever knew (he was told at the ward who his real mother was). Glad my story, in your eyes, deserves an all-caps-salute! Oh, and sorry for the _long_ wait...I'm still mad at my computer (or myself) if you want to join the hateclub...

**Fallen Angel 1234: **Aww, thanks! Sorry for the wait, but I hope you stick with me!


	9. Let's Not Have a Heart Attack

**Okay, I finally found time to write. But fear not, school ends in just two weeks! Although that means finals and hours (cough, days) studying by flashlight...and no uploading. :( I know, I'm not happy either, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it! Fyi, mistakes/misspellings are just the way I imagine Billy (Bob) to speak. So don't scream at me for them (Unless they happen outside of his speech). And remember, it's been awhile since I've read the books and wikia can only do so much...  
P.s: I don't own any horses, so please don't kill me for messing something up.**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! **

"So, you're that she-devil's son?" Billy asks, once his laughter had died down.

Will blushes, ducking his head. "Yeah…but she wasn't a devil."

The horse trainer snorts. "Course you'd say that." He glances over to Halt, who barely nods before standing.

Will scrambles to his feet. "What now?"

Billy raises an eyebrow. "Oh, a questioner. I though you'd have trained that out'a him by now."

"He's more stubborn than he looks," Halt responds despondently.

"Well, kid, we're going to get the horses."

"Why?"

Billy chuckles. "Cause I said we are. Now get yer scrawny butt out there."

The apprentice frowns, but follows the order anyway. Looking over his shoulder, he waits to see where the loner wants him to go.

"See that shed over there? I got a bucket of fresh apples in it; why don'cha go get 'em?"

Will shrugs, knowing the menial task is just so he'll leave the adults free of an audience. But do they really think forty feet's going to mask the sound of their voices _that_ well?

_I am _way_ too underestimated,_ he thinks as he opens the door, releasing an avalanche. Shaking his head at the mess, he steps over it and pulls out the bag of fruit. So much for it being a pail.

"So ya weren't lying," he hears Billy mutter. "He really _is_ a bloodhound."

"Yes, and he has the hearing of one too." Good old Halt, giving hints.

"Really? How far's his range?"

"I don't know; pretty far I'd assume."

"Ya thing he can hear us?"

"Judging by the smirk on his face…yes."

"Oh."

Will can't take it any longer, and an explosion of laughter bursts from his mouth. Billy's such an…impulsive person. Will, despite his earlier wariness of the man, finds himself growing to like the horse trainer. Will can't wait to see the look on Billy's face when he finds out his friend's apprentice speaks wolf!

"All right, that's enough," Halt calls, coming to stand next to his student. "We've got a full agenda, so how about we move this along?"

"Halt's right," Billy concedes. Leaning against the beams of a thick fence, he whistles sharply, causing Will to wince and cover his ears. Thunder rumbles with out help from the sky, and two masses round a bend in the trees; stampeding right for the three humans. One's a quick gray that runs just a head further than its shaggy and similarly colored friend.

Halt holds out an apple for the first one, fondling its ear and whispering an unfamiliar phrase to it. The second one accepts a treat from Billy, but only after staring at Will for a moment.

"Tug, this is Will. Will, Tug," Billy introduces, patting the steed on the head. "Don't be shy, he don't bite," he encourages, seeing Will's hesitation. The boy continues to stare at the quadruped, before inclining his head to the Halt's horse. The short beast points his muzzle to the sky before lowering it to take another apple.

"What was _that_ about?" Billy asks.

Will shrugs. "Just saying hello; asking a few questions. He says that Abelard is your favorite."

Both older males speak at the same time, Halt asking, "How do you know my horses' name?" and Billy, "Why's he say that?"

Will smiles. "Well, Tug told me Abelard's name; and he also says that you feed him more apples."

Billy frowns. "That's not true. You both get the same amount."

Tug decides to snot then, but whether it was to dispute what his trainer said or just to get their attention, no one will ever know.

"Anyway, as you probably've guessed, Tug's gonna be yours." Billy opens the gate, motioning for Will to enter. "Catch him and we'll put the saddle on."

The apprentice lightly steps through, and the exit clangs shut behind him. Glaring at the adults that seem all-too-comfortable, he reaches out for Tug's bridal.

Only to have the horse prance away, nickering gently. Will slowly turns to face the animal, finally understanding why Halt and Billy are so expectant.

_Sorry folks, but the show's closed today,_ he thinks as he walks away from the fence. Ignoring the dancing Tug, he continues on until the grass is tall enough for his purpose. Closing his eyes, he collapses into it.

Halt raises an eyebrow. _That's new…_

"What's he gonna do?" Billy asks, eyes watching the pasture. The horses obviously share his curiosity, trotting over until they stand several feet away from where the boy fell.

A piercing howl erupts from the nearby trees, startling the horses into a charge. Billy jumps up as well, and only a staying hand from Halt keeps him from charging into his house to get his gun.

"I've got my bow; nothing will hurt them," he consoles, though Billy notes it's not strung. Nor does Halt appear too worried…

The equestrians huddle near their masters, eyes wide and rolling. A stick snaps behind the humans, and Billy turns just in time to see Will leap over the fence and onto Tug's back.

The horse freezes, only to jump into the air and twist, trying to dislodge the sudden weight on his back. But surprisingly, Will hangs on. Tug tries again, and this time Will floats in the air before crashing back down to his original position. A growl rumbles in his chest, and Tug springs again and again, bucking madly to _get this thing off!_

"He's trying to kill himself!" Billy shouts, hands embedded in his hair as he watches Will get bounced around. "Halt, tell him to stop!"

"Will," the Ranger calls tensely. "Quit fooling around."

Tug flies into the air again, and Will pushes off his back at the peak of their flight, landing heavily on his feet and stumbling slightly. Tug knocks him down with his head, pawing the dirt next to him and snorting obvious horse-curses at him. Will smiles, quickly reaching up and snatching the bridal. Instinctually, Tug rears his head, pulling Will to his feet.

"That…was…_awesome_," Will pants, stubbornly hanging on when Tug tries to pull away.

"How'd the hell you _do_ that?" Billy asks.

"I just…crawled through…the grass until I was…in the woods. Then I startled them…and snuck behind you guys. I meant to land…in front of him…but that…didn't work."

"Obviously," Halt drawls. "And you need to work on your unseen movement; I tracked you the entire way. But kudos to you for hanging on."

Will smiles, leading Tug closer and picking out an apple. "Why was he bucking so much?" he asks, turning to Billy.

"That's what happens when someone who isn't their master tries to ride them." Billy shakes his head. "There goes _that_ game."

"I'm confused," Will says after a moment.

"Each horse has a…secret code, if you will, that allows the person to ride them. You gotta whisper it in his ear before mounting or he'll just kick you off."

"Every time?"

"Naw, just once. I'm not _that_ cruel."

"You…train them to do that?" Will asks, envisioning the older man flying through the air.

"An' everything else," he adds proudly.

"What's Tug's code?"

Billy waggles his finger. "Na-uh-ah, don't get ahead of yerself. We gotta saddle him first."

After leading his guests to the tack room, Old Billy shows the youngster how to properly 'dress up' his horse, and how to clean him. He also gives Will a brief lesson on how to take care of the hooves and a general feeding schedule.

Now, back out in the pasture, he tells the boy what he most wants to hear.

"Alrighty then, you seem fit to go." Will instantly perks up; only just keeping himself from bouncing. "Tug's phrase is 'do you mind?'"

Will nods slowly. _An easy enough code to remember._

Turning to the quadruped, he leans in close. But he pauses before he whispers the phrase, an idea coming to his mind.

_"Do you mind?"_ he breathes, low enough that he knows the others couldn't have heard him growl. Tug's tail swishes, and his ears flick back. His head bumps lightly against Will's, an obvious sign that he accepts the variation if the other clues weren't.

Smiling, Will swings into the saddle, settling comfortably. Movement catches his eye, and he glances up to find Halt doing the same.

"How 'bout we go burn off those apples?" he asks, wheeling his horse around and darting away.

"You're on!" Will calls, flicking the reins against his new horses' neck to spur him after his brethren.

**^O-O^**

**Fallen Angel 1234: **Yah! A new constant!

**AreiaCananaid: **. 13...THOUSAND?! I'd freaking pummel my computer if it did that! And welcome to the club, it's pretty big so far!

**Savannah Silverstone: **Yup. As for the typos, I'm sorry...I usually am so cross-eyed by the time I finish writing that I can't stand another minute in front of the monitor. I'll try to catch them more often; I know I hate it when something's spelled wrong.

**flaminglake: ***nodding* Okay, I'll tone down the italics. I can see your reasoning...as for the 'not an ass', you know the saying 'when you assume you make an ass out of you and me'? That's what I was alluding to. Sorry for the confusion!

**grigsbyanthony: **Thankx, and I sure will!

**SheMcScribe245: **He's not scary so much as Will's nervous around him because of what he and his mother did (stealing the food), and he doesn't know how Billy will react. And thank you; I thought it would add a little bit more background as well as a bit of humor!

**FarmersDaughter: **That's okay! I'm a dirty blonde if it makes you feel any better! Though I am in no way stupid, considering that I'm an entire grade ahead in the reading/math/science department for my age group. I _loath_ sterotypes! Hate them more than malfunctioning computers!

**Guest 4/10/13:** I'm glad that you keep coming back, and _merci beaucoup_ for the compliment!

**Mrastlesghost: **Hold on, I need to pick my jaw up from the floor...  
Okay, I honestly don't know what to say...no one's ever told me that! Is it really? I've read a couple of good ones...go read _Wounds only Time can Heal_, I really liked that one. And may Lady Fate look upon your soul with love for the compliment!

**ElmoDaHorse: **Thanks! Sorry it took so long...It's been nearly a month; and I promise when summer rolls around I'll be quicker!


	10. Your Secret's out

**SCHOOL IS OUT! I'M FREE!  
Anyway, here's the next chapter; hope it's suspenseful enough for those that like that kind of stuff! Oh, and for those that thought this was going to be the festival...that's next chapter! 'Cause shit's about to get real!**

After more than a couple of hours of sprinting around, Will realizes that he and Tug won't be beating Halt and Abelard anytime soon. So the fourfold return to Billy's place, and once the horse trainer gets past praising Will on his riding skills offers them a room for the night; seeing as the sun's well past its zenith. Halt graciously accepts, not willing to walk through the forest at night with his newly healed steed.

Will's thankful for other reasons, and one of them includes an entire night of absent nightmares.

* * *

"Bye Billy!" Will waves over his shoulder as he sits atop Tug. The old man returns the gesture, just before the pair of riders disappears back into the foliage.

"After you got over your unnecessary fear of the man, you two seemed to get along quite well," Halt says as he holds aside a branch for his apprentice.

Will shrugs. "Well, yeah…he's the only other person that really _knew_ my mom. That, and he wouldn't stop interrogating me on everything she did."

Halt nods. "That's Billy for you; the ever-curious."

They plod along in silence for a minute before the Ranger breaks it.

"While we're on the topic of you mother, did she ever mention why you two were alone?"

Will starts. "Hmm?" he asks, obviously pulling away from the inner workings of his mind. "Oh, not really. I never knew any different and we never met another pack so…" he shrugs. "Why do you ask?"

Halt nods again, albeit slower. "Wolves are primarily group mammals, and I've always wondered why she refused to join a pack. At first I thought it was because of you."

"Me? Why would I stop her from becoming part of a group?"

"Because you're human." Dark eyes stray to look over at the boy. "And just because one wolf accepted you doesn't mean others would immediately discount you as a threat."

Will frowns, ducking his head. "And just because I was raised by a wolf people hate me too," he mutters.  
"What?" Halt says automatically, though he heard well enough. "Just because Horace never warmed up to you—"

"It's…not about Horace," Will interrupts, wincing slightly.

"Then who?"

The brunet bites his lip, cursing himself for not thinking before speaking. "Uh…well, lately there's been—" Will straightens in the saddle, eyes glazed as he gulps in air. "Someone's been at the cabin."

"What?" Halt barks. "Are you sure?"

"There's only one place that smells like honeyed-down coffee and trees."

"Shit," the elder curses, spurring Abelard in the side and cantering through the forest. Will follows, nearly colliding with his mentor on the edge of their clearing.

"How old is the scent?" Halt demands, all business.

"Four hours, at the most."

"Can you identify it?"

Will wrinkles his nose. "Who ever it is hasn't bathed in _forever_. But other than that I've never encountered it."

"Just one person or was it a group?"

"Pretty sure it's two, and both are gone," Will anticipates the next question, and points towards the previously unused stable. "The first trail heads that way while the other aims directly towards the house."

Halt nods. "You take the stable, I'll follow the one inside."

Will nods, flicking the reins and galloping away. Halt watches him go before dismounting and motioning for Abelard to stay. Hand resting on the hilts of his knives, he cautiously stalks to the door. Will may have said that no one's around but Halt's not taking any chances. Especially since the door hangs slightly off its hinges; indicating something _powerful_ knocked into it.

Standing just outside the threshold, he listens carefully for any creaking floorboards or otherwise. His sixth sense half-agrees with his apprentice; nothing's inside. But something _is_ wrong; some evil has taken residence in their home.

And he _really_ doesn't like it.

Stepping lightly inside, his hypothesis that something _big_ trespassed on the property stands unchallenged as most of the furniture in the cottage is either shoved violently out of the way or trampled to pieces.

Stalking past the demolition, he follows the path to Will's door. Frowning at the darkness inside, he's just about to step inside when a shriek from outside freezes him.

"Will!" the name passes his lips unbidden, and his legs carry him at a sprint out the door without being told.

* * *

He should've known.

For him, one day of bliss just is way too much to ask. One _freaking_ day without being harassed by a deceased being's entrails simply crosses a line.

And now he's paying for it.

Will knows he's not getting enough air; can feel his brain trying to get past the wall of panic to command his lungs slow and take deep breathes, but right now he could care less. His heart, similarly, beats erratically; pumping blood through his veins so fast that his limbs shake.

Or maybe that's just him. Probably happening because his muscles aren't receiving their due oxygen…

And for some reason his eyelids aren't working. He's been standing here—what, three minutes?—and they _still_ haven't descended to remoisten his eyes. He could also do a second without witnessing the torture before him; if his mind would focus less on not hyperventilating and more on moving his eyes.

But his ears work just fine, although everything sounds…unimportant. Like the footsteps rapidly approaching, certainly _not_ going to pay attention to _that_…

"Will!" Oh, his name. He should do something, but he can't remember what. "Why—holy fuck."

Fuck? Why such vulgar language? Hasn't this man ever heard of 'respect for the dead'? And another thing, he's in the presence of a minor; his mother should really punish him. Also—

Whoa! Personal space! Has this dude no manners? You can't just go sweeping kids off their feet and tell them to breathe, keep calm and what not! Will _knows_ he needs to do all that; he figured it out all by himself thank you for your concern! And if you're going to kidnap someone don't do the cliché thing and take them to a run-down cabin that reeks of death and—

Oh shit, it's in there too. No, no, no, **_no!_** Do _not_ go in there you damn mad man! And look what you've done; now you've got him sprouting profanities too. Hope you feel accomplished!

Will screams, traumatized mind still enough in control that it knows that the last place it wants to be is in that house. And then, seeing as the human carrying him refuses to stop, shuts down; blacking out until further notice.

* * *

The boy spasms once before going limp in Halt's arms. Will's head hangs over the Ranger's forearm, solely supported by his neck. Wincing, Halt hurries inside to the child's bedroom, only to realize why he screeched that last time.

A pink-red mass of cardiovascular tissue rests almost innocently on Will's pillow, staining the white linen beneath it. Cursing again, he retreats to his quarters, and gently dumps the unconscious form onto his bed. Drawing the blankets up to his chest, he leaves the door open a crack and returns to the crime scene. Frowning down at the muscle, he contemplates what to do.

"Well, this explains quite a few things," he says to no one. Figuring that his student won't be awake for some time, he retrieves Abelard and canters into town. There are a few people he needs to consult with.

**^o.o^**

**Wow...Did I just write that? Anyway, for those of you that have pinning for Halt to find out...he just did. Let's see where _this_ goes next time...**

**AreiaCananaid: **Yes! A new member! And you're welcome; I love that this lil' guy's getting so much attention! I honestly love writing this, and all the reviews are definitely worth it!

**ShinobiTwin05: **Yeah, Tug'll still accept the 'original' code. I just thought it'd be cool if Will used something more personal; plus it just seemed right.

**Fallen Angel 1234: **Yup! Here you go, and hope I didn't disappoint!

**flaminglake: **Yeah, I did too! And thanks; but I personally think yours is better.

**ElmoDaHorse: **I love your picture; where did you find it? Anyway, I obviously am not the model updater, but then again we'd have to have no 'real' job to be able to do that huh?

**Savannah Silverstone: **Another profile pick change? And where do you find all of them? Oh, Gilan should be coming in soon, don't fret! Really? Do you attend one of those year-round but extra-long-break schools?

**Mrastleysghost: **Thank you! I appreciate your dedication to this!

**FarmersDaughter: **Alas, no. My eye color ranges between the shades of light brown or a hazel hue. But that would be awesome! No, I don't think hating stereotypes is a stereotype cause everyone dislikes them. No, in fact I've never heard of that show. But it sounds interesting! And I love cookies! Oh, and thank you for the horse fact; I'll try to change that a.s.a.p. Well, I figure that all animals have at least a basic understanding of each other since they seem to 'exchange' information on predators and the like. And don't be afraid of long reviews, I've left quite a few myself!

**Dash99: **Thanks!~!

**Moonbeam88: **Aw, thanx! And fyi, I plan on having this story follow the entire book series; so I've got quite a bit of writing left to do!

**lili: **Thank you for the information; I'll fix that as soon as my life will allow!

**SheMcScribe245: **Yes, Will can actually understand Tug. And just a little hint: this will become a much-thanked ability later on.

**OrinosBell: **Yay! I'm glad you adored it! Really? It's that good? I'm _actually_ doing something right?! Whooh!

**Qwerty124: **Eh, kind of. As I mentioned in another reply, I figure that all animals (excluding regular humans) have a basic 'language' that they all know. But that's just me!

**Snowdevil The Awesome: **I adore that picture! _That_ is true awesomeness!

**Caithlinn13: ***nods determinedly* Yes! I shall! Luckily finals, studying, and PAPERWORK are O-V-E-R for me!


	11. A Due Explanation is Needed

**Wow, you guys...school's out now and all, which hopefully means quicker updates (or longer ones). But, eh, whatever! I'm here so to the chapter! Oh, and if you don't like blood or are very squeamish, please don't read this after you've eaten. I don't think it's that bad, but someone else might. So don't say I didn't warn you.**

**DISLCAIMER: Would anyone miss this (besides the admin?)?**

"Halt, just tell me what's going on!" Baron Arald demands, not for the first time. "Martin's going to blow when he realizes I've given him the slip!"

"You haven't 'given him the slip', I left a note explaining where you are," Halt replies, still refusing to answer his question. Whoever did…_that_ could be listening through the ears of the villagers. But in the forest, everything is fair game.

"Seriously Ranger, not all of us have the time to take off like this," Rodney adds, and Halt turns in the saddle to face the Battlemaster.

"And you think I do?" he asks coldly.

The knight's face is unreadable, but Halt catches a hint of frustration before the mask is fully in place.

"Can you at least inform us if the news is good or bad?" Pauline acts as the peacemaker, per usual.

"No, it would be difficult to get the complete story while riding," he replies, and the Courier raises a delicate eyebrow. If it's something that can't be shared in town it must be serious.

"Well, I'm communing just fine," Arald huffs, ever ignorant.

"That may be true, but seeing as I'm ahead of you it's a little difficult to hear my voice."

The Baron rolls his eyes, sighing in defeat. He knows better than anyone the Ranger will give an explanation when he so inclines to do so. But that doesn't stop him from trying to pry the details out sooner.

As they pass the last building that signals the edge of the village, Halt urges his horse into a faster canter. His gathered entourage frowns, but nonetheless follows his example. Mere minutes later, they arrive at his cabin and Abelard isn't even to a complete stop before Halt hops down and marches into the house. Pauline quickly follows; worried that something must be wrong with his apprentice. When he had arrived at her door without the child she _had_ inquired, but to no avail.

Standing on the threshold of the room he'd entered, the diplomat realizes this is _not_ an apprentice's room. Then why is he asleep on the bed?  
"Halt…" the question in her voice is unmistakable. "This is not Will's room. I'd be safe in assuming it's yours?"

The Ranger nods. "Yes. His is the door past the living room; peek inside if you want. Take Arald and Rodney with you, it'll save me some time."

She stares at him a little longer, watching the way he drifts about the room as if checking something. Sighing quietly, she returns to the entryway and calls for the men to come inside.

"Why'd he rush in here so quick?" Arald wonders aloud, glancing behind him at the open door.

"Something happened to Will…he seems to be unconscious," Pauline informs them, pushing open the smaller bedroom door. Blinking to adjust her sight, an audible gasp escapes when her eyes drift to the heart.

"Halt, this isn't—" Rodney begins, pale; but the Ranger cuts him off.

"It's not his, if that's what you're saying. Come, there's one more thing," he adds, striding back outside. The trio follows suit, no questions this time as he leads them to the stable. Pushing the open, he stands aside to let them view what had nearly given his apprentice a heart attack not ten minutes ago.

What was once a beautiful gray-brown pelt of a wild canine is now just dull, sickly clumps of hair on ash-gray skin. Sightless yellow eyes stare up at the ceiling as flies land on its upturned face. The muscle and flesh around the rope noose bulges, turning an ugly purple-blue. The animal's underbelly is rent completely open from the bottom of the visible ribcage to the blood-soaked tail. Crimson droplets fall at odd intervals, though most of it has already fallen to the floor below. Though the sickest thing about the display swaying gently before them is the way the stomach, intestines, and lungs and all other remaining organs are pinned in such a way as to defy gravity's pull; remaining within the carcass.

"Dear god," Arald mutters, stiffly wandering outside and heaving heavy breaths. Pauline stands her ground, albeit looking as if she might faint. Rodney is the only one seemingly unaffected, but it stands to reason that after so many wars death tends not to be as gruesome an affair.

"The wounds are clean, not jagged," he notes, looking up at Halt. "Whoever did this had a very sharp blade and the knowledge of how to use it."

"They also have an abundance of knowledge in the area of psychological torments," Pauline adds weakly, at least attempting to defend the workers at the kitchen. "That, and they know Will was raised via wolf."

"That's not exactly a big secret," Arald argues. "I'd be willing to bet the whole kingdom knows that."

"All of that is correct," Halt stops the possible bickering fest quickly. "But you're missing one detail. This wolf is of the normal color; Will's caretaker was of the black variety."

Pauline nods. "So you think it's someone out of town?"

"People," Halt corrects. "Will says he scented two unfamiliar trails. One that lead to here, and the other to the house."

"It'd also take more than one person to capture a wolf," Rodney backs up the Ranger's claim. "But I don't see why you called us down here."

"You all very well know that tomorrow is the Harvest Day festival, and I plan on giving Will the day off. His old ward mate Jenny has thrown together some kind of meet-up, which he'll attend. I want you—"

"What makes you think he'll even _go_ to that?" Rodney interrupts. "He never was a social butterfly, and especially after this…"

Halt smirks. "Don't worry about that, I've given my permission to both the cook and Alyss that if they have to drag him there, so be it."

Lady Pauline smiles, chuckling weakly. "Alyss will hold you to that; have no fear. She meets up with the boy every time you send him into the village to get coffee."

Halt nods. "I know. There is nothing he can sneak past me."

"Except this," Arald adds.

Halt turns sharply. "What?"

"Except this," the Baron repeats. "I mean, isn't it obvious this has been going on for awhile? Most likely since you took him on, because—"

"Why would they start now?" Halt finishes. "I think you might be right, because right before he caught wind of the intruders he was muttering about people hating him." Halt frowns. "What made him think he couldn't tell me this?"

The Courier smiles sympathetically. "It's not you Halt, it's just Will probably thought this wouldn't carry any weight with you. He most likely assumed that you wouldn't understand, since you have no…connection with the wolves."

The Ranger sighs, crossing his arms. "Well, it's certainly a problem now."

Arald nods. "Indeed. I'll keep my eyes open for anything suspicious happening around the boy tomorrow, don't you fret."

"I can also ask around if anyone's seen anything," Pauline offers.

Halt pauses, then shakes his head. "As useful as that would be, I don't want to alert whoever's doing this that we're on to him. But it wouldn't hurt to keep your ears open."

The lady nods. "Open they shall be."

Halt drops his arms. "Thank you. All of you," he adds, glancing at the assembled.

"No problem. Anything for a friend," Arald says, patting the man on the shoulder.

**^TT-TT^**

**Fallen Angel 1234: **Thanks~!

**ShinobiTwin05: **Insensitive...? I made him a jerk? What part?!

**Mrastleyghost: **Yes! As long as my siblings don't completely hog the computer!

**Savannah Silverstone: **Ohh. Cool! I wish I could travel...but school in the summer would kill me! And I plan on bringing Gilan in within the next two-three chapters.

**ElmoDaHorse: **Really? That's freaking awesome! And hope you like this!

**Qwerty124: **Yeah...I'm such an evil bitch, aren't I? :)

**flaminglake: **Yup! I love me some cliffhangers! Hope this is quick enough!

**Caithlinn13: **Oh, I don't envy you. But good luck! No, I haven't really left any clues except that this person(s) know that Will's a 'wolf'. Hope this answers any remaining questions!

**AreiaCananaid: **Seriously, whoever made 'school' needs to be shot! In the knees! Anyway, thanks so much and hope I haven't tested your patience too much!

**FarmersDaughter: **Oh, don't worry about the size, worry about the content! And your's are always so full of feels I have to stand up and do something to keep the screams of happiness bottled up! I made the chapter messed up on purpose (good suspense!), so in turn this chap is more an explanation. Consequently nothing really big happens. Maybe next time...

**SheMcScribe245: **? I'm not sure what exactly you mean by that... But he keeps bringing her up because he loved her, and he admires her like any child does to their parent(s). Hope that possibly answered your question!


	12. Taking a Break on an Order

**Okay, so it's been awhile...I blame the thunderstorms and tornadoes and what-not...but you can be mad at me, it's fine. There's always at least two voices that hate me, so whatever. For the curious, the two voices this time are Phantom (I took away his knives) and Tech (I finally paired him!). But I'm off track, here's the new chapter: the long-awaited picnic! And it's a LONG chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned this, why would I be posting it on here rather than making it the real thing?**

Will hovers in that mythical place perfectly centered between wakefulness and sleep. But the delicate balance shifts slightly towards consciousness, and Will tries to fight it off to return to the simple void of his non-dreams. But he can't seem to push it away, stubborn thing it is. Huffing in annoyance, he rolls over and pulls his knees to his chest; curling into himself as much as he can.

Sighing, his lips quirk in a tired smile, having found that _one_ _and only_ position his body can nap in. Slipping back under the thick blanket of oblivion, he barely notices the hand that pulls up the discarded comforter and tucks it around his body again.

* * *

The barrier that held him back the first time disappears, and Will finds himself in a haven of warmth. He knows the sun is up, he knows Halt's going to come in any minute and dump him out bed and order him to do something; but until then he's going to enjoy this blessed cocoon of heat.

Snuggling deeper into the cot, he blatantly ignores the thought sneaking up on him, deciding that if his subconscious is trying to tell him something it's just going to have to come out and say it.

Just as he knew it would, the annoyance soon disappears. No later than that, the bitter scent of brewing coffee wafts into his room, and Will gulps in the smell gratefully. But an underlying odor draws his attention, and that nagging thought returns.

_Halt's scent,_ it whispers.

_Well duh I'd smell Halt,_ he argues with himself. _This _is_ his house._

_ But on _your _bed?_

Will freezes, and his heart stops beating. _This isn't my room._

His body reacts faster than his mind; throwing himself off the bed. Scrabbling backwards, he crashes into the door and after a second throws it open. Practically sprinting out into the kitchen, he barrels past his mentor to stand by something of…_neutral_ territory.

Basically, the couch.

"What was I doing in there?" Will pants eyes locked on the gently swinging door.

Halt's lips twitch. "Because that's where I put you. Eggs?"

"But _why_? Why not my own quarters?"

The Ranger lifts an eyebrow, causing Will to bit his lip and think back. After a moment whatever blood that was coloring his face flees, and he sinks to the ground.

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh' indeed," the older man repeats, stalking around the island to grip his student by the upper arm and drag him onto the sofa. "Now, I believe you need to explain what the hell that was."

"It was a…dead wolf."

"Yeah, I got that much. And my gut tells me there were others before this."

Will swallows. "Not…exactly. There was only one other, and the…incidents after were just the…organs."

"When did this start?" Halt's voice softens, knowing how difficult this is for his pupil.

"The day after I became your apprentice."

Halt clenches his jaw. Sometimes he hates it when he's right.

"And you didn't tell me any of this because…?"

Will's head drops. "I…at first I thought it'd go away; just some prank the village kids were playing. But when it continued…" he shrugs. "I thought I could handle it."

Sad brown eyes flicker up to meet darker, blank ones and he adds, "Obviously not."

The grizzled Ranger sighs. "Will…you're just an apprentice; you're not _supposed_ to deal with this sort of thing. Theses…_attacks_ are escalating, how long would it have taken whoever's doing this to make the hop and do something like this to you?"

His shoulders slump, but suddenly his head shoots up. "Would have taken?"

Halt nods. "Yes, _would_. A few friends of mine are looking into the situation, as well as myself. The people doing this won't be much longer," he promises gravely. "Which is why you're getting the day off."

"What?" Will exclaims as his teacher stands. "Why? If you're not going to teach me then I should practice—"

"Will, you know as well as I do that Jenny has prepared a miniature feast for her ward mates, which includes you. Besides, today's the Harvest Festival; what kind of mentor would I be if I made you work through it?"

Will opens his mouth to argue, but snaps it closed as plans whirl through his head. It _has_ been awhile since he had a day to himself…and a couple of nice, relaxing hours in the forest sound oh-so-heavenly—

A knock at the door interrupts his pleasant thoughts, and before Halt can order him to answer the door he opens it.

"Alyss?" he asks, shocked to find the blond on the other side. She smiles politely, and he quickly moves aside to invite her in.

Halt glances up from his breakfast. "I was wondering when you'd get here."

"Sorry, it took a bit longer than I thought it would to arrive," she replies before turning back to her friend. "And you're late."

She grabs his hand, dragging him outside. He looks back at his smirking mentor, eyes pleading for help.

"Have fun Will!" Halt calls, waving his fork.

"But I haven't had breakfast yet!" Will says in hopes of making Alyss slow her break-neck pace.

"Good, then you'll have plenty of room for lunch."

Halt laughs at the boy's stricken face, gently closing the door behind the duo. She should be able to keep Will busy _all_ day.

* * *

"There you two are! I was beginning to wonder if you'd abandoned us!" Jenny calls, waving a familiar wooden ladle at the pair.

Alyss returns the gesture. "We would never! Will just lives further out than I expected."

"It's not _that_ far," Will mutters, earning an arched eyebrow from the courier. Sighing in resignation, he settles gracefully next to George, nodding to the scribe. To his slight surprise, the once-nervous boy returns the head-bob.

_It seems that he's gotten over his fear of me,_ he notes, taking the plate laden with food that the cook shoves into his hands. Nibbling tentatively on the roasted turkey, he quickly finds that he actually likes it and bites into it with more vigor.

"Like it?" Jenny asks anxiously, nearly bouncing in her spot.

"It's delicious!" Will replies, inhaling another mouthful. "Usually cooked meat leaves a dry taste in my mouth but this—!" he hums in satisfaction. "What did you use, honey?"

He barely manages to avoid getting cracked on the head, much to the disappointment of both the blonds.

"Don't spread my secrets around like that!" she scolds, trying in vain to smack in again. "It's bad enough you can taste all the ingredients anyway!"

He laughs at her miniature tantrum, deftly rolling out of the way. Slipping behind her, he gently pins her arms and removes the deadly weapon.

"Alright, alright; I won't reveal any more of your sacred kitchen ways as long as you stop hitting me," he chuckles. She huffs mightily, reluctantly accepting the terms of agreement. Will releases her, and she snatches back her utensil.

Several of the passing towns people had stopped to watch the show, and many laugh under their breath as the two teens return to their previous places.

"Man, if only I'd brought my notebook," Gorge sighs. "I could've recorded that entire event."

"And I would've asked for a copy," Alyss adds despondently, and the group breaks into fits of laughter.

"Why am I not surprised that no one waited?" a sour voice asks, and four heads turn at once to look over at their new arrival.

"Horace!" Jenny calls happily, standing. "You came!"

"Don't see why anymore, seeing as it started without me."

The girl's face falls, and Will comes to her defense.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I got here just as late as you so just sit down and enjoy the food Jenny _personally _made—"

"I've had food from the kitchen, I'd rather not," the knight sneers, crossing his arms. "Besides, if you have time to rough-house you have time to wait for _everyone_ to arrive, mutt."

Will's anger flares. "If you had a brain you'd know how to get here on time, tin can."

"Well I'm sorry my _training_ got in the way. Not all of us have time to just romp around in the woods."

A deep growl rumbles in the smaller boy's chest. "At least I have the stamina and _coordination_ to do so."

"Guys!" Alyss yells sternly. "Cut this out now!"

"Shut up, girl!" Horace snaps, and the tall blond rises to her feet.

"Do _not_ speak to her like that!" Will snarls, stepping forward menacingly.

"I'll speak however I want!" the blue-eyed male also moves forward, thrusting his face into the other's personal space. The apprentice Ranger's eyes narrow to slits before they suddenly widen and he barks out a laugh.

"Well isn't this a surprise! Finally found your place in the food-chain, did you now _Horace?_" he sneers, much to the other's confusion. "It turns out the bully's getting a taste of his own medicine!" Will continues; eyes gleaming. "I can _smell_ them on you, oaf; three if I'm not mistaken."

Horace pales, and his jaw locks as he tries to hide his reaction.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell us their names? Not that I can't figure it out eventually."

The larger boy finally snaps, his fist aiming to knock that satisfied smirk off the little twerp's face.

**~.~**

**Oh, I'm evil, making you all wait for the rest of the fight! But at least you're more likely to come back!**

**ElmoDaHorse: **Eh, I don't remember either! But I have the power to look back...and I don't feel like it. Sorry for making you wait, hope this was worth it!

**A-Furry-Camel: **OMG, I adore your name! And yes, together they'll figure it out. But _who_ it actually is is neither here nor there.

**Once-A-Hatter-Aways-Mad: **LOL, I don't know if the misspelling is an accident or not but it's funny! And thank you!

**AreiaCananaid: **Lol, the funny thing is I just passed bio! And sorry for the wait, I decided not to mess with Zeus. I may be the Lightning Alchemist but to mess with the guy that _made_ the stuff? Nu-uh, I'll see _you_ later.

**Qwerty124: **Yup! Hope I got him right, there's a reason I've been avoiding Horace...

**Caithlinn13: **Yeah! Join the club of NO SCHOOL! And don't worry, I've had to re-read on more than one story (though it was mostly because I loved it so much!). Thank you for everything, reviewers that leave compliments always make this worth it!

**flaminglake: **Thank you and Thank you! Sorry for the wait, can't ever tire of saying that!

**Savannah Silverstone: ** . I wouldn't be able to survive school like that! Especially considering my school has no air conditioning!

**FarmersDaughter: **I know...I feel bad for the little woffie...As you probably (hopefully) read, yes! They fight! Though I think Horace needs more of our support, going against someone that's already gone up against a BEAR...

**Mrastleysghost: **Oh, well by now you're out, right? So join the NO SCHOOL club with me! I've been out for half a month, and I get new victims-people everyday!

**StarOfIron:** Oh, a month? In the summer? Ugh, I'm really sorry for you. Sorry for the wait, and thank you for your support!

**starrain18166: **Yeah, a new reader! *claps hands* Yeah!


	13. Didn't See That Coming

**Okay, so, like, WOW. I never thought I'd get this much of a response for this. Anyway, the much anticipated continued Harvest Festival!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't get to say this on Shadow Elf anymore, so I'll just say it here: I OWN NOTHING**

He saw it coming.

Hell, he knew it was going to happen well before Horace _himself_ realized he was throwing the punch.

Ah, well. It's been awhile since he's had a good fight. Perhaps he could talk Halt into sparring with him more often…

Will ducks the right hook, sweeping his left leg to knock the bully off balance. But the blockhead rolls, returning instantly to his feet. He charges at the small Ranger-in-training, and deciding to put use some of his own lessons in combat, dashes to meet him. Horace spreads his arms wide, preventing escape from the sides, and his legs scissor too quickly to slip under.

**_If you can't go under or around, look up._**

Will smiles humorlessly, thanking his mother for the valuable tid-bit. Tensing his thighs, he springs into the air; using Horace's broad shoulders to help him vault. That also has the pleasant side effect of pushing the other male's face into the dirt.

Landing solidly on his feet, Will quickly whirls around to prepare himself for the next attack—

That never comes as someone grabs a fistful of the hood of his cloak to hold him in place.

A hiss of surprise and warning leaves his mouth before he can stop it, earning a hard cuff to the side of the head.

"Shut your trap, apprentice," Sir Rodney growls. "I expect as much disobedience from you but from _my own pupil?_" he raises his voice loud enough for Horace to hear. He hangs his head in disgrace, not bothering to wipe the dust from his face.

"Both of you should be ashamed of your actions," he continues sternly. "And I suggest that you two take a hike and come back when you're calmer."

He releases Will, who quickly steps away. He nods his head at his remaining ward mates, throws Horace one last glare before stalking towards the forest. His enemy stomps away in the other direction, his tutor following close behind.

The dappled darkness of the trees soon envelopes him, and stopping a few feet in he toes off his boots. He reaches for the knot of his coat, but pauses. Despite how cumbersome it is at times, he quite likes how the thick material rests around his shoulders. Deciding to leave it on, he ventures further into the silent woods.

Ghosting between the towering trunks, he lets all his pent-up emotions float away, and he settles into the present mind-set only. Only thoughts of the way the shadows move, or the way the birds sing to each other, or the different scents drifting on the breeze. Only the present…

He breaks out into a sprint, reveling in the speed as the wind tugs at his hair. Not giving any head as to where he's going; he allows his feet to take him wherever. He's never gotten lost nor does he need to be worried about such a thing. Halt _did_ give him the day off, so he won't be expected back at the cabin until at least nightfall…

_But what about the picnic?_

Slowing to a steady jog, he weighs the pros and cons of returning. Horace most likely has decided to stay away, which is good; saves him an awkward evening. Jenny's cooking is excellent, despite the meat not being raw. He never truly grew out of _that_ particular craving… But if he were to rejoin his peers he'd have to leave the forest.

Well then.

Being social sucks.

Stopping, he scales a random oak, just for the hell of it. Breaking through the canopy, he stares out over his beloved home. The leaves shimmer with reds and oranges; an occasional winter green drawing the eye. Then, in the distance, Redmont castle stands tall and proud as the weakening sun causes it to almost shine.

Will frowns, quite a bit startled exactly _how_ far a distance he seemed to have traveled. He should probably head back if he wants to resume his lunch with his childhood friends.

Slipping down to the earth, he resumes the previous speed; maintaining the easy pace as his mind reviews things he'd rather not.

_Horace is being taken advantage of by three of his elders…perhaps I should do something. He may not be the kindest person, but he doesn't deserve that._ Will frowns, shaking his head. _But who could I tell? Sir Rodney's out of the question; he hates my guts…Though he seems to listen to Halt. Perhaps-_  
A branch cracking jars him from his thoughts, and as he turns to face whatever it is something collides with the back his head; knocking him out cold.

* * *

Halt glances at the door, not for the first time imagining the boards creaking. Night had fallen hours ago, and still Will had not returned. Refusing to be the mentor that worries himself gray (he has plenty of _silver_ hairs already, thank you), he forces himself to ignore the pit in his stomach and focuses on the letter.

A hesitant knock shocks him out of that, and he fiercely berates himself as he 'calmly' stands to answer it. Knowing that it won't be Will—why would he knock?—he lets the scowl reserved for him slip off his face.

"Alyss?" he says in confusion as the currier-in-training frowns, with another, rounder, blonde shuffling her feet next to her.

"Mr. Ranger," she nods stiffly in greeting; causing Halt to inwardly groan. What had his idiot of a student done now?

"Is…is Will inside?" the other woman asks, and he assumes her name to be Jenny.

"No. What has he done now?" he asks blandly.

"He must still be in the forest…" Alyss musses to herself, frown deepening.

"Why's he in the woods?"

The two females glance at each other before responding. "Well…he and Horace sort of got into a fight and Sir Rodney broke them up and told them to walk it off and he went into the forest and we haven't seen him since and—" Jenny explains in a rush, but stops as her friend cuts in.

"And we're kind of worried."

Halt smirks kindly in understanding. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm sure Will just pushed everything out of his mind and is running around as we speak."

They share another uneasy look before nodding slowly.

"Don't worry, as soon as he comes back I'll give him an earful and send him to you for another round."

That seems to soothe the girls, and they bid him farewell before he closes the door. After waiting a moment, he reopens it and heads for the stables. If what Alyss and Jenny say is true, then Will hasn't been seen for more than nine hours. And with the most recently uncovered threat to his pupil, that time frame doesn't sit well with Halt. Cursing himself for not acting on his instincts sooner; he saddles Abelard and canters into town and heads straight for the castle.

He's going to need a dog or two if he wants to find anything in those woods.

**^o.o^**

**Dash99: **NO! Why would I make Horace the antagonist?! He's not heartless, just picked on and needs a stress outlet, aka Will!

**Caithlinn13: **Yeah, I love my cliffhangers; though the outcome is always expected! And I love all the faces you put into your review, they crack me up when I think of all my readers making those expressions! And thank you for all the compliments, encouragement, and just being here!

**AreiaCananaid: **Lol, thanks for using my title! I'm sorry for the wait, and now I'm looking the other way as if you were never here...

**starrain18166: **Aw, thanks! I don't like to reiterate what was already written; because then it's just boring and everything is expected. Hope you continue to like!

**FarmersGirl101: **Hey, I do too! And if you really think about it, Horace is! Remember in-I think it was the third book?-he was oblivious as to why those girls were wearing such short skirts? And he bought that load of shit about 'running faster'? I _died_ laughing! And sorry for the wait; it really doesn't take me long to write these chapters. It's just finding the time when the computers _working_ that is the problem!

**ShinobiTwin05: **Oh, that's not what I meant. He wanted to write it all down, not draw. But I'm sure he has that talent also!

**Mrastleysghost: **Sorry for the wait, as I've said somewhere else it really only takes me like, two hours to write each chapter. It's finding a time when the internet's up and working that's difficult.

**ElmoDaHorse: **Aw, thank you! Sorry for making you wait for this though!

**Qwerty24: **Yeah, but he gets better; promise!

**Savannah Silverstone: **Don't be afraid, Horace gets his butt kicked as you read! And sorry for the wait!

**runningcrazy4EVER: **Let me just say I love your name! Thanks for reading, and I would love if you gave me corrections! I hope you continue to stay with me, and thank you for all your compliments!

**Alex The Rogue: **Lol, I thought some of my readers would like that!

**Guest 6/10/13: **Thank you for the love! And sorry for testing your patience!

**dogluvva99: ***squeals* I'm so happy I hooked you! For your (probably) angry lawyers, there is really only one side affect from reading this: Fangirling. Or rage, depending on how much you like this. But, obviously in your case, it'll be the former!

**booksareawesome: **Sure, here ya go!


	14. Twelve Feet Under and Dead

**Okay, so a lot of you hated me for that last cliffie...and I'm sorry...I love them too much...**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my cliffhangers (and plot). They're the only things that love me!**

Son of a rabid squirrel, his head _hurts._ And he is cold and hungry and wet. And his head is attempting to turn itself inside out. Did he mention that he's drenched? What about freezing? Starving get its début?

Whoever did this is going to pay. No, they're _dead._ Twelve feet under and missing-for-the-rest-of-existence type of _gone._

Stiffly uncurling from the fetal position, Will tries to push past the thick blanket of pain that dulls his thoughts.

Easier said than done.

He quickly figures out that that's _not_ going to happen, at least not until he gets whatever the hell's paining him so much taken care of. Pulling his limbs closer to his torso, he shakily pushes himself onto all fours. Blindly reaching for the support of a nearby bush (when did it get dark?!), he hauls himself up to rest on his knees, then takes the big leap and tries to stand.

Big mistake.

Bile rises in his throat; the sourness causing him to gag. His knees give out as he reaches and white spots flicker across his vision. The heaving stops as soon as it came, leaving him shivering as he carefully collapses away from his mess.

Fatigue drags him under, but not before a droplet of rain splashes on his cheek.

* * *

Consciousness drags him back eventually—hours, seconds, _years_; he doesn't really care how much time has passed. But something tickles at the frayed edges of his mind, slipping past the numbness that has consumed everything. It takes several moments for the boy to figure out what exactly it is, and even longer to figure out what it means.

Dogs. Howling, hunting, _searching_ canines kept in the castle walls. Their echoing calls cut through the pitter-patter of the rain, far yet close enough that if he answered their baying they'd hear him.

_'If'? '**If'**? Of course you're going to reply to them, idiot!_ The logical voice of reason snaps. _You don't and _you're_ going to be the one missing for the rest of time!_

Sighing in defeat, he wets his lips and releases a weak, high-pitched howl of pain. Their barking stops instantly, then picks up double-time.

_"Hear that? Hear sound!"_

_ "Pain sound, pain sound!"_

_ "Find, find, find!"_

_ "Track! Find pain!"_

_ "Bad water, bad water! Can't find, can't find!"_

_ "Where, where, where? Voice again!"_

_ "Again, again, again!"_

Quivering in exertion, Will repeats as they ask; drawing it out until he feels the pounding of their paws. Or perhaps that's his heart?

But a freezing nose presses into his palm, and his eyes discern the bright, reflective eyes and floppy ears of a hunting dog. He wiggles his butt in happiness before throwing his head back and thundering to the rest of his pack, _"Found, found, found!"_

Almost immediately, several other cold appendages are touching his body, taking in the scent and adding their strength to the song. One of the mutts prods gently at the back of his head, causing him to stiffen and whine through his teeth.

"Back! Back, all of ya!" a gruff voice commands. The dogs' warmth disappears, replaced by a scent Will knows well.

_Coffee_.

He relaxes, knowing that he's safe now. A gentle hand brushes aside his bangs, feeling his forehead as the newcomer rumbles, "Will? Will, can you hear me?"

_Yes!_ He wants to cry._ I hear you, now just take me home!_

But his body denies him the pleasure, so he blinks slowly and sighs.

"Don't worry kid, I've got you; you're going to be fine."

_I know that; it's you that needs convincing._

His savior continues to murmur reassurances as he slips his arms around the prone figure, and as he starts to lift Will's wound is jostled. Before he can stop it, a whimper escapes his clenched jaw.

_Oh sure, I can say _that.

* * *

Halt freezes, gritting his teeth as his pupil cries out. _Great. Any move I make will cause him pain._

Steeling himself, he rises as steadily as he can. Will tenses, but not a sound passes his lips. Walking smoothly to where Abelard waits, he pauses. How is he going to do this? He can't just lay him across the saddle for fear of slipping off and injuring himself more, nor can he support Will's weight with one arm long enough for him to swing onto his horse.

But…if he does _that_…then support his back here and…

Halt nods, deciding it's the only way. Stepping closer, he slips Will's legs onto the steed, side-saddle. Keeping the boy's upper body steady, he places his right foot into the stirrup and quickly swings his leg over. Picking the student up again, he settles the teen more comfortably on his lap before resting his head against his shoulder and taking the reins.

"You okay Will?" he asks, peering into the brunette's glazed eyes. A weak sigh is his answer, and he can almost hear the sarcastic edge to it. He rolls his eyes before whistling sharply for the dogs and setting Abelard at a steady canter. Trusting his friend to find his way back to the castle, the Ranger does a limited once-over of his apprentice.

The boy is soaked; though it's not surprising since a storm had moved in an hour after Halt had set out to find him. Thank goodness he had his cloak or the older male fears that he would've been too late.

Though that's the least of his worries; the most important being the blood matted in his hair and clumping at the base of his skull. The hardened matter as well as the lack of light prevents him from even guessing the severity of the wound, but if it had kept his pupil from returning it must be as bad as he suspects.

Anxiety pushing through his system, Halt urges Abelard faster. He needs to get Will to the castle _now._

* * *

"When do you think—?"

"Shhh."

"I just want to know—"

"I said shhh."

"If you were anybody else—"

"Be quiet, I think I hear something!"

Arald clamps his mouth shut, finally getting the hint as well as having felt the vibrations of something sprinting towards them. Sir Rodney loosens his sword in its sheath, eyes flickering through the deepest shadows. The rumbling draws closer, and both men tense; preparing to fight.

Abelard and his rider suddenly burst out of the woods, blowing past the two and galloping into the sleeping town. As he flashes by them, the two catch a glimpse of Will's limp form clutched to his chest.

They share surprised glance before turning their battle horses to race after him.

"Guess he found him!" the Baron calls over to his friend, who nods.

"Yes, but alive or dead?"

**^o.o^**

**Alex The Rogue: ***clapping frantically* Amazing! Where did you come up with that?

**AreiaCananaid: ***bites lip* Was this fast enough? And don't hate the cliffs! They're what make reading fun (sort of...)!

**Caithlinn13: **Sorry. I love my cliffs!~! And I don't mind the faces, it makes reading the reviews more fun! And congrats on passing!

**ShinobiTwin05: **Oh yes. Nine hours doing god knows what with god knows who. *mutters* I'm such an evil soul.

**ElmoDaHorse: **Sorry, but I'm updating as fast as I can; seeing as I have **seven** other fanfics that are just as popular as this one. Once a week is the best I can do.

**Qwerty124: **Yes! Yes Will!

**FarmersGirl101: **I take that compliment to heart! It is a bit hard to get in his head, but apparently I'm doing it right!

**Wolfwind97: **Really? Well, I'm glad you love this so much! I've always loved wolves, and Will; so combining them was no problem! And if you ever do write a story like the one you said in your review, then let me know! I'd love to read it!

**dogluvva99: ***shrugs* You don't need to beg! And the torture is...well, it brings people back. It's like jumping off the diving board!


	15. Of Shovels and Nefarious Plans

**Okay, really short chapter but there's an explanation as to why at the bottom. That, and a bit of writer's block has snuck up on me...and boy does it suck...I feel like beating the living hell out of my keyboard, if that puts it in perspective...**

**DISCLAIMER: 7 . 7**

Whoever said patience is a virtue needs to be shot. Several times.

Preferably with himself holding the bow.

Halt bites back a sigh, refusing to show his nerves. He does that and Lady Sandra will be even more of a hassle to calm down.

"I want to see him!" she demands of no one in particular. Now Halt sighs, almost wishing she would go back to the sobbing stage. He'd been able to at least block that out.

"The healers are still working on him," her husband tries to soothe, but even the Ranger detects a strain in his voice. "Once they're done we'll be allowed in."

"And even then he'll still be unconscious," Halt mutters into his coffee, sipping the hot brew.

"And I'm going to see him first!" she continues, staring at the boy's mentor and silently daring him to contradict her.

He shrugs slowly. "That's fine with me, seeing as I'd prefer to be with him last. Perhaps his ward mates could follow after you?"

"I'm fine with that if you are," Alyss inputs quietly, glancing to her friends. No one objects, and the room falls into a rare silence.

The large double doors open, and instantly the small crowd is on their feet. The middle aged man smiles kindly at them; a good sign.

"He is a very resilient boy," he notes calmly. "Other than complaining of being cold and hungry, it seems as if something hit him from behind. His motor functions are all working perfectly, and his memory doesn't seem to have been effected; so any lasting damage outside of a scar I can't see happening."

A collective sigh is released, and Halt raises a brow.

"He's already awake?"

Sandra scoffs, "Of course no—"

"Surprisingly, yes," the physician interrupts, "though I don't expect it to last long. His speech is a bit rough, but that can be chalked up to dehydration."

"Can we see him?"

The man sighs. "No, his body can't handle having visitors at the moment. But he was very insistent on speaking with a 'Halt'."

"That would be me," the Ranger steps forward. "What does he want?"

"He refuses to tell me, and seeing as denying him will only cause him more stress, I'm giving you ten minutes."

The Baron's wife huffs loudly, crossing her arms. Halt's lips twitch, and he throws over his shoulder before exiting the room, "I'll give him your well-wishes."

As he steps over the threshold, his eyes latch onto the familiar mop of brown hair; know with a slash of white wrapped tightly around his head. A bit paler than usual, but definitely looking better than lying in the mud; Halt quietly approaches the bedside. His apprentice seems to have fallen back asleep, but as a board creaks under his boots, brown eyes flash open.

"Halt!" he rasps, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips.

"You, my boy, have better have one hell of a story for keeping me up this late," he grumbles, standing at the foot. "Oh, and everyone sends their love."

"Yeah…that's why I wanted to talk to you." The boy sighs, fingers nimbly picking at a loose thread in the thick blanket wrapped around him. "I didn't see anything, it all happened to fast, but I got a scent…"

"And?" Halt prompts gently.

"Whatever it was, it wasn't…human. No one can smell _that _bad; no matter how hard they try."

"Was it the same smell like the one around the cabin?"

Will nods slowly. "Yeah, except this was more concentrated. I guess I was near their hide-out or something."

"Do you think you could find it again?"

"No…with all that rain, even I won't be able to pick anything up. They probably moved anyway, preparing for a situation like this."

Halt frowns. "You're probably right…"

Will laughs weakly. "That's as good a compliment I bet you'll ever say!"

Halt rolls his eyes. "If you want to scam someone, talk to Arald; you won't be fooling me anytime soon."

"That's twice now you've told me that. Are you _trying_ to start something with me?"

"No. Why would you assume that?"

Will doesn't reply, instead scrutinizing his mentor with tired yet bright brown eyes. "You're not convincing me."

"I shouldn't have to. It's _you_ that has to convince _me_ that you're not planning anything suspicious."

"But I thought nothing got passed you?"

Halt freezes, realizing too late that his apprentice just out-worded him. And the boy's not even at full health! He's becoming soft.

"Just because nothing gets passed me doesn't mean there's nothing nefarious going on in that little head of yours," he spouts out eventually, but from the smug grin adorning the child's face, he knows that Will knows that he won.

"The only thing in my head at the moment is a plan to dig a twelve foot hole."

Halt raises a brow. "What?"

"Nothing."

The Ranger hums, making a note to not give Will a shovel anytime soon. The door opens, and the healer pokes his head in.

"I hate to interrupt, but the boy needs his rest. I'll let you know tomorrow when he may resume his training."

Halt nods, uncrossing his arms to reach down and pat Will's foot.

"If you remember anything, call for me immediately," he says before turning away.

"Halt, wait!" Will calls, and his mentor glances over his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For finding me."

The bearded Ranger blinks. "That doesn't need a thank you; I'll always save your butt." He pauses, lowering his voice. "But you're welcome anyway."

The door closes softly behind him, and Will relaxes back into the bed. Better take this vacation without a fuss, because as soon as he gets the green light Halt's going to work him to death.

**o.-"**

**ATTENTION: I WILL BE GONE JULY 10-17. THERE WILL BE NO INTERNET, WHICH MEANS NO UPDATES. THIS MAY BE THE LAST BEFORE THEN, BUT I'LL TRY TO POST A NEW ONE BEFORE I LEAVE. IF I GET A BUNCH OF HELL FROM BEING GONE, I WILL NOT UPDATE FOR TWO WEEKS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Thanks~!**

**Alex The Rogue: **Aww, I'm glad I inspired you to write a song! And love the evil laugh!

**Caithlinn13: **Never doubt yourself! Your gut instinct is always (well, usually) right! And nothing but my siblings really bothers me (that, and bad grammar. UGHH). And thank you for the compliment! I try to update once a week! And as for the dogs talking, that was actually a sort of conversation my own canines seemed to have. It was...interesting, to say the least.

**Wolfwind97: **No prob! I love reading new things, makes me proud to watch it mature!

**Kiss-My-Asphalt: **OMG, your name! I love it! And thanks!

**kookiepup12: **Yeah, I have some crazy dogs of my own, so making the canines insane wasn't hard! And don't worry, I can't be too mean to Will!

**ElmoDaHorse: ***nods* That's how I was when I was little, and before my ADHD leveled out. Now I can sit at a computer for three hours and not get bored! And a month!? I've know a writer that updates only once a year! And about the cliff...*ducks head*

**Qwerty124: **The inspiration for those dogs came from my real ones, if that gives you any insight!

**Phoenix Risin: **Ya! I made you happy! And I'm glad I made you laugh! Many people found that, and the dogs, very amusing! And you changed your name! I knew I recognized that photo!

**Mrastleysghost: **Yeah...I told you, I'm an addict!

**Dash99: **I'm such a horrible person...almost every single review had the word 'cliff' or 'cliffhanger' in it...I think the world's trying to tell me something...


	16. Interruptions Suck

**What's this? An update? From ****_me!?_**** Wow, that's a shock. I thought I was decaying in a gutter down in Florida or something...Must have been a dream; curse those damn tacos. Always give me the weirdest dreams...Oh, hey, didn't see ya there; just ignore me and read the new chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: ...**

Oh, how he _hates_ it when he's right.

Adjusting the cloth covering his mouth and nose, Will tightens his grip on the stick and hits the rug again. Weeks have passed since the incident; most of them spent lying around and cooking…which drove him absolutely stir-crazy. Not being able to _do_ something, even as simple as fetching the coffee beans (because he _apparently_ can't walk into town himself anymore), ate at not only his pride, but his instincts as a wolf. Weakness means less efficient, less efficient means less food, and less food equals death.

And Will does _not_ want to die.

So when his mentor casually brought up one dinner that the rug needed another de-dusting, Will jumped at the opportunity. Almost went out and did it that second.

If only he'd known what he'd just gotten himself into.

Despite winter being well on its way, this monstrosity seems to have picked up _more_ dirt than it did in the summer.

_Halt probably pours dirt into this thing just to give me something to do,_ Will grumbles. _Either that, or this thing was made to purposely absorb dust by some demented mentor for the sole task of torturing poor apprentices._

He thwacks it solidly again, and another shower of filth explodes outward. Looks like his cloak's going to need to be washed _again_. But at least that'll be something to occupy himself with after words…

"You'd better hurry it up," Halt calls from the door. "I don't want to waste another day doing this again."

Will rolls his eyes, hitting the carpet one last time. It's not _his_ fault Halt didn't do this himself while he was 'out of commission'. If he'd done it, it wouldn't have built up so much.

But the words never make it to reality as Will pulls it from the beam and drags it inside. Throwing it back to its usual place in front of the fire (maybe all the grim is just ashes?), he returns the furniture back to their places before heading back outside to shake out his coat.

"You almost done?"

"You must be really excited about this lesson," Will notes, hoping that's the direction this is going. "Wonder what could be more interesting than knives?"

"Watching you fail at them," Halt replies, nonplused.

Will frowns, hiding a smile. So it's going to be like _that_…

"Well, duh. Those things are so clunky; I can do more damage with my bare _hands._"

"Just because you have claws for nails doesn't mean you can forego the knives. Besides, what would happen if you broke one?" Halt asks innocently.

Will grimaces, having walked right into that one. "Well, if I broke one then I'd still attack with it. A serrated blade hurts more than a smooth one."

The tutor inclines his head, seeing the sense. "Yes, but what about defense wise?"

The brunette shrugs. "All I need to do is be faster than my opponent."

"And stamina doesn't play a role?"

"No, because I will have already gotten past their defenses before that can factor in."

Halt gives him the Searching Look, fingering his beard. "Seeing as those words have never left my mouth, I'm going to assume your mother taught you that?"

Will nods. "Yeah. She beat into my head to get it over with as soon as I could. Less chance for injury that way."

"That may be true, but it also leaves you vulnerable. It increases your chances of missing if you rush."

The apprentice shakes his head. "That's only with long distance stuff. In close quarters, it always boils down to who can land the most hits and who can escape the ones thrown their way."

"You say that like you've seen this theory in action."

Will raises an eyebrow. "_I've_ put this into action. Many times."

Halt blinks slowly, uncrossing his arms. "Alright then, try to hit me."

The pupil's eyes widen before narrowing, flickering down to the blades safely sheathed at the man's hip.

"No weapons," he adds, effortlessly burying them in the bark of an evergreen twenty-five feet away. He slips off his cloak, and Will does the same. The Ranger then exits the porch, opting to stand in the middle of the clearing.

"So…what happens if I land on one you?" Will asks, for surely there's some kind of reward/punishment thing going on here.

"If you manage to touch me, you get your arrows back."

Will smiles wickedly. Halt has _no_ idea what he just signed up for.

He'll have his ammunition back by the end of the hour.

**_Never underestimate your opponent. Give them their dues and prepare for the worst._**

Will takes the saying to heart, sizing his tutor up while bringing all his knowledge of the human to the forefront of his mind. Pitiful as the collection is.

His only weakness seems to be coffee. Well, that and questions.

_Questions…_Keep that in mind…

Halt watches as his student looks him over, inwardly smirking. He probably should've set the requirement a bit lower, but little too late for that. Either way his apprentice will be back to training full time; as long as things go as well as he plans.

And when have things not?

Apparently done organizing his own thoughts, Will leaps instantly into action by charging at the other male. Halt sidesteps easily, but Will digs in his left heel and pivots; aiming to sweep the Ranger's feet out from under him. He more or less stumbles to the side to avoid the tactic, quite surprised but hiding it well.

"Well, at least you're better than Horace; he falls for that every time," Will comments calmly, following his mentor and aiming a kick at his midsection.

"Nice pun," Halt returns, ducking the high kick and pushing upward on it; aiming to send Will toppling over. But the teen uses the momentum to turn the fall into a cartwheel, easily landing back on his feet.

"Didn't even realize I was making one."

Will dashes forward again, but this time when Halt shifts he moves in the opposite direction and quickly changes course to shoot into the other's unprotected side.

_Dang, he's more agile than I thought,_ Halt curses, narrowly avoiding the hit. _I'm getting much too soft. _

They square off again, but a cough from behind draws both opponents' attention.

"Ranger Halt?" a large boy atop a black battle horse asks. "Sir Rodney sent me; he wants me to ask for your help in tracking something."

Both Will and Halt straighten, the latter heading back to the porch to grab his cloak. "Did he say what it was?"

The knight-in-training shrugs. "Said it was big, but because of the rain recently the dogs can't pick anything up."

"So I'm the next best thing?" the older mans snorts as his student shakes out his own shroud.

"Um…I don't think—"

"Good god, an apprentice that doesn't think!" Halt cuts in, smacking his forehead. "No wonder Rodney sent you, he'd know I'd like you instantly!"

The poor blonde stares at the other in confusion, causing Will to snicker.

"What are you chuckling about?" Halt turns to stare down the brunette. "You should take a page from this boy's book; it certainly would do you wonders."

Will rolls his eyes, tying the knot and settling the hood more comfortably on his back. "But why? That'd take all the fun away from you."

"Um, I'm really sorry, but Sir Rodney said that you need to get there quickly so—"

"Just lead the way, we'll be there in a second," Halt replies, dismissing the teen.

"'We'?" Will pips up, following his mentor to the stables.

"Yes, 'we'. Rodney may have called for me, but he wants _your_ nose. This is just his way of asking nicely."

**O.O**

**Wolfwind97: **Ugh, I've already had this problem! And the bad (good?) part is that it's all coming from this story. All the complaints and questions on when my ass is going to get moving and write a new chapter-ARGH. I effing told you all I was going to vaca! READ THE DAMN A/N, they're there for a reason! Oh, sorry; I just totally lost it there. You can ignore that last part, not meant for you! :) Thanks for being so supportive!

**Dash99: **Definitely. Though I kinda glaze over it here...

**Phoenix Risin: **Yeah, I don't have much to go one when writing her, so I'm pulling all this shit out of my butt. But it's good stuff and it works, so...and Will with a shovel...I might just give him one later to see what happens!

**ElmoDaHorse: **Brilliant? This came to me in a dream...from the tacos...and I thought it was kinda cool, so I wrote it down. That's actually how most of my stories came to be; they all started out as dreams (or me being stupid and throwing something completely unrelated at the characters and it actually turns into something).

**dogluvva99: **O.O Now I feel bad for going on vacation...hope this makes up for it; and I'm glad you like this so much!

**Alex the Rogue: **Ah, don't matter that your not signed in. And congrats on the cat; I'd get one but my four dogs would end up eating it...like the murderers they are...ya, I'm looking at you, Bug-eyed freak. And thanks for making me laugh every time I _looked_ at this!

**Reader: **O.O I just got compared to John Flanagan. _Flanagan_. Holly crow, someone check my eyes 'cause I don't think I'm reading that right. Anyway, I know my chappies are short; I write like the guy that writes Maximum Ride (apparently his chapters are only like, a page long). And stupid computer, not letting you update! My computer does that often, but I just threaten to junk it like I should have years ago and it works! And thanks for all the love (I nearly died from it all, but that's a good thing!), and the well wishes too! Florida was beautiful (despite how it rained every. DAY.), but I wouldn't want to stay there longer than I have to. Crazy drives _did_ nearly run me over... And I was using the crosswalk!

**Firehedgehog: **Hey, nice to see you here! Hope you continue to enjoy this!

**SheMcScribe245: **Thanks, and here's a new chapter! I tried to include more Will/Halt for ya!

**Mrastleysghost: **Ohh, good guess, but no. The Kalkara play a major role later, but right now someone else is pulling crap over Will.

**flaminglake: **Tell me about it! I came back from Florida and my alerts where through the roof! They nearly touched the sun! And now that I'm all caught up, there's nothing to do! It's like they wait until you're uber busy and then post a gazillion chapters! And don't worry about the reviews; I love getting them and they make everything so much easier, but as long as you read I'm happy!

**SeeSea18: **Apparently, but you must remember that this story is in place number four, and the other three must be updated first. And I'm going as fast as I can. Trust me, I got back home at six pm after a 14 hour **DRIVE** and I updated the first thing on my list. Ya, I pushed away my tiredness and updated for all the readers out there rather than bask in the afterglow of my vacation. Thanks for your understanding, and I hoped you enjoyed this.


	17. It's Not Over Until the Wolf Boy Sings

**Okay... Sup? Well, just going to warn you that the dreaded day of my return to the halls of hell (and one wonderful library) is next week. So, posts will slow down to almost... Well, I don't really know. And you guys moved down a spot by ONE FREAKING POINT. ONE. **

**DISCLAIMER: HA!**

"Are you sure he's not really asking you to do it?"

Halt glances at his apprentice, saying without words, 'what makes you think that?'

"I mean, Sir Rodney hates me so why—"

"What makes you think he hates you?"

Will frowns, hands tightening on Tug's reins. "Just a feeling."

The Ranger raises an eyebrow but doesn't push it. Instead, he advises, "If you think he has an issue with you, just ask him. He likes straightforward things like that."

"Easier said than done," Will mutters.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"What are you talking about?" the object of their conversation asks, looking down at them from his midnight battle horse.

"Nothing of importance," Halt answers calmly, dismounting from Abelard. Will follows his example, making sure to always keep his mentor between him and the knight.

Rodney shakes his head, knowing for a fact that he'll never understand Rangers. "Well, as useless as it probably is the animal disappeared there." He points to a portion of the brush both of the new arrivals have already noted. "But after that it just becomes a maze."

Halt nods, twisting to face his apprentice. "Well? What're you waiting for, nightfall?"

"He knows how to track?" Rodney raises an eyebrow, obviously skeptical.

Will frowns, infusing a slight growl into his voice as he replies, "I tracked a herd of deer using a three day old trail when I was sixty moons old. Finding a boar after ten minutes shouldn't be a problem."

The brunette stalks to the woods, those around him giving him a wide breadth.

"Sixty moons?" the Battlemaster leans down to inquire quietly.

"He was about five," his friend replies, staring after the boy. "And I wouldn't question his abilities again, if I were you; he already believes you strongly dislike him."

"I don't hate him, I just feel uncomfortable around him," the other corrects. "Don't tell me you don't feel the same."

"I don't. He's just a regular kid."

"Who was raised by a vicious carnivore!"

"Sorry to interrupt your discussion on my Mother, but are we going to hunt this thing or not?" Will calls, eyeing the adults with a hint of annoyance.

"Lead the way," his tutor answers, mounting his steed and making sure Tug doesn't bother his student. After Halt, Rodney follows; closely shadowed by his mini-army. Though one face in particular pricks at the Ranger's memory the most…

"The blonde, he's an apprentice," he points out, letting the other man explain himself.

"Yes, that's Horace Altman. He's a master swordsman, but I want to see how he handles a spear."

"At such a young age?"

"I know, I was shocked too; but he's a natural."

Halt nods, turning his attention back to his own young prodigy. "It seems as if the new generation is destined for big things."

"Oh, so you can see the future now?"

"No, I'm just using what I call 'intuition'."

Will suddenly stops, turning on them and bringing a finger to his lips. When Halt raises a brow, he tilts his head to the thicket ahead. The elder nods and the teen draws a circle in the air, eliciting another head bob. The boy disappears while the Ranger repeats the motion to those behind him, and the cavalry spreads out.

No sooner did the circle around the bush close than a high-pitched shriek echoes through the air; startling all but Halt. The hunters quickly recover as the target bursts into view, charging in a blind rage at the deadly weapons with abandon.

Several javelins attempt to pierce its thick hide, but none sink very deep before it pulls away. Blood pouring down the beast's sides, it tries a different tactic of breaking through the ring by removing the weakest link; who just so happens to be a certain blonde warrior.

Will watches from the boughs of a tree, grudgingly admiring how his childhood nemesis shows no fear. It comes as an even bigger surprise when the steel tip of the spike tears right into the animal's eye straight through to the brain; killing it instantly.

Victory cries stream from most of the gathered, and Will smiles despite himself. If they thought _that_ was fun, wait until the other one charges…

But from the corner of his eye he spots Rodney dismounting, and Horace does the same; striding forward to meet him.

_Oh no…_

"What are you doing?!" he shouts, drawing their attention. "Get back on your horses, there's—"

A deeper scream than the first cuts him off as the second, and larger, boar break away from its hiding place, stampeding directly for the two easiest targets.

Will curses under his breath, leaping from the branch into the enclosed space. Landing solidly, he snarls in an attempt to draw the wild being's attention.

Hearing the challenge, its dark, beady eyes swivel in his direction before the rest of its body. Roaring, he changes paths to aim for the smaller, weaker looking prey.

_Big mistake,_ Will growls internally. _I may not be the biggest, but I sure know how to fight your kind._

Holding his ground until the boar's too close to change direction quickly enough, he rolls to the side; letting the knights behind him deal it a few blows.

_"Come on, attack me!"_ he snaps tauntingly, drawing out a thundered promise of a painful end.

Will smirks, unsheathing the smaller of his knives. _We'll see about that,_ he thinks before darting forward to surprise his enemy.

**O.O**

**Btw, there are about 12 moon cycles a year, so that's what I used to figure out Will's age.**

**Alex The Rogue: **True, definitely, and powdered sugar is just that: powder. I'm going to guess the flag, and actually yes; my dogs do dance (for food, the little hobos). I love the randomness of your reviews! Never stop!

**SeeSea18: **Thanks, and sorry for the lateness of this update (writers block-stab me now).

**Brackenfern: **Uh...alive or dead? Cause the latter's going to happen while the former...I honestly don't know...

**dogluvva99: **Aw, thank you! So far this is my longest fanfic (though not my longest story!)

**Kiss-My-Asphalt: **Thanks, and sorry for the lateness of this one!

**Qwerty124: **I know, I did too! But my stupid hands were like, 'Nope, enough fight lets go huntin'!' And I was like O - O "WHY?!"

**Firehedgehog: **Thanks!

**Phoenix Risin: **Me too! But stupid hands were like "NOT TODAY SUCKERS!" And I was lik "I hate you. So. Much." ...They laughed at me...But hey, seeing as you're not the only one that wanted to see it I might just make a one shot about that or something!

**ElmoDaHorse: **Really? I have some form of a dream each night! Though most of the time it's just a voice... And thank you so much for all the love, and sorry for the late update! Life hates me sometimes..

**Caithlinn13: ***giggles* I did too~! Thanks so much for being here for, like, ever!

**Mrastleysghost: **Ha! Yes, Skandians! But no, it's not those oafs, nor is it Wargals. But I have to admit, you are closer than you think!


	18. I Apologize

**As you can probably see, this isn't a real chapter. Because of life (mainly school), I don't know when I'll be able to post new chapters. This DOES NOT mean I'm abandoning this story, I have too many ideas with where this can go, it just means that updates will be...wide-spread. So you can either stick with me until things settle down or you can take me and this fic off your watch list. The choice is up to you.**

**Thanks for all your support; I don't know what I did to deserve all of you wonderful readers!**

**Sincerely, **

** I.F.T.S**


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